TOKYO: American Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Japan from January 6th to 7th, the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo said.

During his visit, Secretary Blinken will engage in discussions with senior officials of the Government of Japan, focusing on a wide range of areas, including the robust and ever-strengthening Japan-U.S. Alliance.

The visit comes at the heels of Blinken’s visit to South Korea, which will start on Sunday, January 5th, as announced by the U.S. State Department on Friday.

The mission of Blinken’s visit to South Korea is to reaffirm America’s ‘ironclad’ alliance with the country, a crucial step in maintaining regional stability and security. it said.

The United States, South Korea and Japan seek to consolidate their trilateral alliance in the face of the increasing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. 

Japanese and American officials also feel concerned about South Korea’s political turmoil.

The Blinken tour also includes France, where he will meet senior French officials as part of the bilateral partnership. The discussions will focus on addressing challenges in Europe, such as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the Middle East and beyond, including global climate change and the fight against terrorism, the State Department said.