MALAYSIAN DPM ARRIVES IN JAPAN FOR APEC

From Siti Hawa Othman

YOKOHAMA, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin
Yassin arrived in Japan late Thursday evening for the three-day Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders meeting in Yokohama from Nov 12-14.

The aircraft carrying him and his wife, Norainee Abdul Rahman,
touched down at the Hanesda Airport here at about 6.20pm (Malaysian time:
5.20pm).

Muhyiddin and his wife were welcomed by Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister
Richard Riot Jaem, Malaysian Ambassador to Japan Shaharuddin Md Som
and his wife as well as the Ambassador in Charge of Special Assistance at
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minoru Shibuya.

The dignitaries were then whisked to a travelling motorcade to proceed to
the Yokohama Bay Sheraton Hotel where Muhyiddin will be staying.

Upon reaching there 40 minutes later, he was received by Ministry of
International Trade and Industry's Secretary-General Abdul Rahman Mamat
and his wife, deputy mayor of Yokohama Takashi Komatsuzaki, Malaysian
dignitaries, officials and the media.

A packed programme awaits Muhyiddin, starting with "Invest Malaysia 2010
Seminar" in Tokyo on Friday, to be followed by bilateral meetings and Leaders'
Retreats during the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting (AELM) in Yokohama.

On Saturday morning, the deputy prime minister will be having bilateral
meetings with the Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper and President of Chile
Sebastian Pinera.

Both Muhyiddin and Pinera will then witness the signing of the
Malaysia-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Muhyiddin will then proceed to the InterContinental Yokohama Grand where he
will be received by the Prime Minister of Japan Naoto Kan.

This will be followed by a Leaders' Welcome Working Lunch, while the first
Leaders' Retreat on "Sustaining Growth and Prosperity in the Region" will be
held next, to deliberate on APEC's growth strategy and human security.

This will be followed by the ABAC Dialogue with Leaders and later Muhyiddin
will also attend a cultural event and AELM dinner.

On Sunday, the last day of the AELM, leaders will have their second retreat
on "Economic Integration and the Future of APEC" to deliberate on the Bogor
Goals Assessment, Regional Economic Integration and Doha Development Agenda.

Muhyiddin is also expected to attend the Trans Pacific Partnership Meeting
hosted by US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of APEC before proceeding
to the Leaders Declaration at the conference centre in Pacifico Yokohama, the
venue of APEC.

Later in the day, he is expected to depart to Haneda Airport for the flight
back to Malaysia at 3pm.

-- BERNAMA