Mrs. Midori Matsushima, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, to Visit Nicaragua, Mexico and Panama

December 27, 2006

Mrs. Midori Matsushima, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, will visit Nicaragua, Mexico and Panama from January 8 (Mon) to 17 (Wed), 2007.
In Nicaragua, Mrs. Matsushima will attend the inauguration ceremony of President Daniel Ortega Saavedra as Japan's Ambassador on Special Mission. Japan has enjoyed traditionally friendly relations with the Republic of Nicaragua. As the relationship between the two countries has become closer through the exchange of visits of VIPs, economic and technological cooperation, cultural interchanges, etc., Japan has decided to dispatch Ambassador on Special Mission to the inauguration ceremony to further develop bilateral relations.
In Mexico, where a new administration set up in December, Mrs. Matsushima will have meetings with leaders of the government to exchange views on overall relations between Japan and Mexico, which are developing in various fields, including the economic relations that have become tighter after the Japan-Mexico EPA came into effect, thus building political-level relations.
In Panama, Mrs. Matsushima will meet government leaders and visit the Panama Canal. Japan is the third biggest user country of the Canal and the most frequent user of Panama's System of Flag of Convenience Ship. She will tell Panama's leaders that Japan is interested in the Panama Canal's expansion project and confirm cooperation in the international arena as Panama will become a nonpermanent member of the U.N. Security Council in January next year.

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