PM Najib arrives in Tokyo for 2-day working visit
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TOKYO: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak arrived here this evening for a two-day working visit and to attend the prestigious Nikkei 20th International Conference where he will deliver a keynote address tomorrow.
The private aircraft carrying Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, touched down at the Haneda International Airport at about 5:15 pm local time (4:15 pm Malaysia time).
They were greeted on arrival by Malaysian Ambassador to Japan, Datuk Shaharuddin Md Som, his wife, Datin Norasikin Hashim, and Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia, Dr Makio Miyagawa.
The prime minister and his wife were later received at the Imperial Hotel in downtown Tokyo, where he will be staying, by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar, Malaysian Foreign Ministry secretary-general, Datuk Othman Hashim, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nikkel Inc, Tsuneo Kita, members of the Malaysian delegation and embassy officials.
Najib, who is also Finance Minister, will start his visit with a restricted meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, at the Prime Minister's office.
Both the prime ministers are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation and international issues. Tonight, Najib and his entourage will attend a private dinner hosted by Abe and his wife, Akie Abe, at the prime minister's official residence, here.
Tomorrow, Najib will deliver a keynote address at the Nikkei 20th International Conference on the Future of Asia themed "Rising Asia – Messages for the Next 20 Years".
This is Najib's second appearance as the keynote speaker at the Nikkei conference. His first was at the 17th Nikkei Conference in 2011. At the conference, the prime minister will deliberate on Malaysia’s New Economic Model (NEM) and the ongoing Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) in creating a conducive business environment for economic growth, development and investment to become a high-income nation and a developed nation by 2020.
The International Conference on The Future of Asia is a forum that brings together political leaders, including many heads of government, and top business executives every year to discuss the future of Asia-Pacific nations and how development in the region stands to impact the global economy. Since its inauguration in 1995, The Future of Asia has come to be recognised as one of the foremost international conferences in Asia. After delivering his keynote address, Najib and Rosmah are scheduled to depart for Astana, Kazakhstan, later in the afternoon for another working visit. --BERNAMA
