Japan Foreign, Defense Chiefs to Visit Germany from Fri.

Tokyo, Feb. 10 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi will visit Germany from Friday to attend the Munich Security Conference. Motegi announced his planned trip at a press conference Tuesday. At the annual conference in Munich, which brings together foreign and defense ministers and other officials from various countries, Motegi plans to call for the realization of a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” with China’s hegemonic actions in mind. On the sidelines of the conference, set to take place for three days from Friday, a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven major powers is expected to be held. “I want to frankly exchange views on key challenges facing the international community and reaffirm G-7 cooperation,” Motegi said. The Japanese minister is scheduled to stay in Germany until Monday. The G-7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States plus the European Union. Koizumi is slated to meet with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, and other officials, in addition to his participation in the Munich Security Conference, during his three-day visit to Germany, the Japanese Defense Ministry said Tuesday. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]