TOKYO: Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said Friday he will visit five nations in the Caribbean and South America from Saturday.

He is set to return to Japan on May 7.

The trip to Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Peru, Chile and Paraguay will be part of Japan’s efforts to boost ties with the so-called Global South group of emerging and developing countries.

In Central and South America, as well as other regions, China has been leveraging its economic might to expand its influence. Most recently, it has succeeded in making Honduras switch its diplomatic ties from Taiwan over to China.

In view of the situation in the region, Hayashi aims to win consent from his counterparts during the tour to deepen their countries’ ties with Japan through cooperation over climate change and resource development, informed sources said.

“As (this year’s) Group of Seven chair, we will listen to wade-ranging opinions from the international community, and use what we have heard in discussions,” he told a press conference.

JIJI Press