Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Pope Francis agreed Wednesday to aim for a world free of nuclear weapons as Russia's war against Ukraine poses a serious threat to global security.
Kishida also had a separate meeting with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, during which they agreed to keep strong sanctions on Russia and boost support for Ukraine.
The visit to the Vatican by the leader of the only country to suffer the devastation of atomic bombings came after Russian President Vladimir Putin raised fears he may use nuclear weapons as the war drags on.