Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said on Sunday he plans to attend Donald Trump's inauguration as US president on January 20, Reuters reported.
The visit aims to strengthen trust between Tokyo and the new administration in Washington.
“Our goal is to build a relationship of trust with the Trump administration,“ Iwaya said in an interview with Japanese public broadcaster NHK.
He also plans to meet with Marco Rubio, who has been selected as Secretary of State in Trump's new cabinet.
Increased diplomatic engagement from the region
In addition to Japan, other Asia-Pacific countries have expressed their intentions to deepen their ties with the United States. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar will attend the ceremony at the invitation of Trump's team.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that Jaishankar will meet with representatives of the new administration to discuss bilateral relations.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong also announced that she will attend the ceremony. She stressed the importance of the strategic partnership between Australia and the United States and described the event as an opportunity to expand economic and security cooperation between the two countries.
Upcoming diplomatic meetings and plans
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is also considering visiting the United States in the first half of February for his first official meeting with Trump, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Sunday. Ishiba was unable to meet in November, immediately after Trump won the presidential election against Joe Biden.
Foreign Minister Iwaya announced his intention to hold meetings with key members of Trump's team to prepare the ground for a successful visit by Ishiba.