Japanese FM to visit Azerbaijan

Tokyo, September 1, AZERTAC Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono will be visiting Azerbaijan on September 5-6, according to Director of the Central Asia and Caucasus Division of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mikito Tomiyama. He said that the Japanese FM will visit Yerevan and Tbilisi, and then Baku as part of his South Caucasus tour. Minister Kono will then leave Baku for Germany, Tomiyama said. “This is a first visit of a Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan to Armenia and Georgia and second to Azerbaijan since 1999,” he noted. “The main purpose of the visit to the region is the development of bilateral relations between Japan and the South Caucasus countries. Japan is interested in continuous stability and democratic and economic development in these countries,” said Tomiyama. He also said Japan attaches great importance to cooperation with Azerbaijan, which he described as the most powerful state in the region.