The Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Dr. Ahmed Shaheed will arrive in Tokyo on Monday, 19th January 2009, on a two-day visit to Japan. The Minister is undertaking the visit as Special Envoy of President Mohamed Nasheed to deliver a letter from the President addressed to Prime Minister Taro Aso.

During the visit, the Minister is scheduled to meet with his counterpart H. E. Mr. Hirofumi Nakasone and hold discussions on further strengthening of bilateral ties between the Maldives and Japan. The Minister is also scheduled to meet with the Minister of Finance; the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; the Senior Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; as well as the President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan will host a lunch in honour of the Minister and the President of the Japan-Maldives Parliamentarians’ League, Hon. Hosei Norota, will hold a Breakfast Meeting with the Minister and his delegation.

The Minister will be accompanied by Mr. Moosa Manik, Chairman of the Maldives-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Group and Dr. Hussain Niyaz, Executive Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.