KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will undertake a two-day working visit to Tokyo from tomorrow to attend the 20th Nikkei International Conference on the Future of Asia (FOA).   

The Foreign Ministry in a statement here today said Najib is scheduled deliver the keynote address at the conference themed “Rising Asia–Messages for the Next 20 Years” tomorrow (May 22).

“This is the Prime Minister’s second appearance as the keynote speaker at the Nikkei conference. His first was at the 17th Nikkei Conference in 2011,” the statement said. 

It said while in Tokyo, Najib is also scheduled to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.   

“The discussion between the two Prime Ministers is expected to reaffirm both countries’ commitment for a more comprehensive cooperation particularly within the economic and investment spheres,” the ministry said.

The statement said both sides shared the understanding that bilateral ties need to be nurtured, promoted and made relevant in tandem with the domestic and international environments. 

Najib will be accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar as well as senior officials from Foreign Ministry and Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI).

According to the statement, Malaysia-Japan economic ties remain as a pillar of the bilateral relations.

Japan is Malaysia’s third largest global trading partner and the third largest export destination valued at US$25.31 billion (RM79.75 billion) in 2013 after China and Singapore.

Total bilateral trade in 2013 was recorded at US$43.20 billion.

Elaborating further, the statement said, at the Nikkei Conference, Najib will deliberate on Malaysia’s New Economic Model (NEM) and its on-going Economic Transformation Programmes (ETP).

The initiatives were taken towards creating conducive business environment for economic growth, development and investment for Malaysia to become a high-income nation and a developed country by 2020.  

“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib will also stress on the need for Asia to take the central role as the 21st century is to be the ‘Asian Century’,” the statement added. — Bernama