PM Anwar's Japan Visit To Advance Cooperation In Economy, Science, Technology

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

TOKYO, June 8 (Bernama) --  Prime Minister  Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit to Japan is expected to provide strategic opportunities for Malaysia to expand cooperation in the fields of the economy, science and technology, as well as capacity building.

These areas remain key national priorities as Malaysia seeks to strengthen its competitiveness on the global stage, said Malaysia’s Ambassador to Japan,  Shahril Effendi Abd Ghany.

He highlighted that Anwar’s visit from June 8 to 10 would witness the signing of four Memoranda of Cooperation and two Letters of Intent covering defence and regional security, healthcare, energy transition, environmental cooperation and higher education collaboration between Malaysia and Japan.

“Malaysia and Japan are also expected to finalise a Joint Statement to translate the commitment of both countries’ leadership into elevating bilateral cooperation to a higher level, in line with the upgrading of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Shahril Effendi told the Malaysian media at the embassy here Monday. 

The visit will be Anwar’s first official visit to Japan since assuming office as Malaysia’s 10th prime minister in November 2022, having previously undertaken two working visits to attend the Commemorative Summit marking the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation in 2023 and the Nikkei International Conference in 2024.

The visit, at the invitation of the Japanese government, will begin with an official welcoming ceremony at the Office of the Prime Minister of Japan, followed by a bilateral meeting between the delegations of both countries, to be led by Anwar and his Japanese counterpart, Sanae Takaichi, he said. 

-- BERNAMA