Japanese PM Plans To Visit Iran For The First Time in Nearly 40 Years

Iranian authoritites were informed about a possible forthcoming official visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, that could be the first time for the Japanese leader to visit Islamic Republic in 38 years, the Nikkei newspaper reported Monday.

TOKYO (Sputnik) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has informed the Iranian authorities of his intention to visit Tehran, which could become the first trip of the country’s leader in 38 years, the Nikkei newspaper reported Monday.

The visit focused on bolstering bilateral economic cooperation is due to take place this year, according to Japan’s daily.

Abe is said to be accompanied by a group of entrepreneurs and heads of Japanese companies. The trip is likely to occur on the politician’s way to or back from a Japan-Africa development conference in Kenya on August 27-28, the newspaper added.

The last Japanese prime minister to visit Iran was Takeo Fukuda who came to the Islamic republic in September 1978.

The Japanese government decided to lift economic sanctions against Iran in January after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had verified that Tehran was complying with the nuclear agreement reached last summer.

Earlier in January, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced that Tokyo sought to develop cooperation with Iran in line with the removal of economic sanctions from Tehran.