German Chancellor Angela Merkel will make a two-day visit to Japan early next month for talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the Japanese government said Friday.
During her visit from Feb. 4, Merkel is also expected to meet with Emperor Akihito, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in a news conference.
"We hope the chancellor's visit will send a message that Japan and Germany will actively contribute to the rule-based prosperity of the global economy and further deepen bilateral cooperation and relations of trust," the top government spokesman said.
Merkel's visit will be her fifth to Japan since taking office in 2005. Her last visit was in 2016 when she attended the Group of Seven summit of industrialized nations in the Ise-Shima region of Mie Prefecture.
