Pres to seek Japanese investments during official visit

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and First Lady Fazna Ahmed have arrived in Japan for an Official trip on the invitation of the Japanese Government.

The President’s Official Bilateral Visit to the State of Japan will commence on Monday, when he is scheduled to meet with the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, and is further scheduled to meet with several other leading figures in Japan’s Government and Private Sector for discussions regarding how to take forward the already excellent cooperation between the two countries, said the President's Office.

The President, along with his counterparts and visiting delegations from almost the entire globe, will attend the official enthronement of the Japanese Emperor Naruhito, who ascended to the Chrysanthemum throne earlier this year, following the abdication of Emperor Akihito. The President and First Lady will also attend a multilateral networking function with several dozens heads of states and governments present, informed the President's Office.

The President's Office said in addition to meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for bilateral talks, President Solih is also scheduled to meet with the Japan-Maldives Parliamentary friendship group; the President of JICA, as well as CEOs and senior figures representing Japanese businesses. In his discussions and deliberations with these figures, the President will aim to secure Japanese investments in a range of areas, from budgetary support to infrastructural development and institutional strengthening.

Further, to symbolize and encourage the cultural engagement and growing people-to-people contact between the two countries, while paying his respect to Japan’s monumental cultural achievements and rich history the President will be making several stops in places especially significant to Japan. His visit will include programs in Kyoto City, Hiroshima and Osaka. In addition, he will also meet with the community in Odawara, whose residents were exceptionally generous in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, raising funds of their own accord and sending the Maldives direct aid to help in the country’s recovery.

Following the conclusion of these official components, the President will return to the Maldives within six days. It is expected that this trip will be a success and will help open a new chapter in the bilateral relations between the Maldives and Japan and yield several multilateral benefits to our country, said the President's Office.