Mrs. Midori Matsushima, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, to Visit Jamaica, Cuba, and Mexico

April 27, 2007

Mrs. Midori Matsushima, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, will visit Jamaica, Cuba, and Mexico from April 28 (Sat) to May 6 (Sun).

In Jamaica, with which Japan historically maintains friendly relations, Mrs. Matsushima will meet with Ms. Portia Simpson-Miller, Prime Minister, Mr. Anthony Hylton, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, and others to further strengthen political-level relations and confirm cooperation between the two countries in the international arena.

In Cuba, Mrs. Matsushima will meet with Mr. Felipe Pérez Roque, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, and other key governmental officials, and observe the local situation to further enhance bilateral relations which have recently been developing through political dialogue and cultural exchanges, and to have frank exchanges of views on the current situation of Cuba.

In Mexico, where Mrs. Matsushima will visit for the second time this year, she will attend the Committee for the Improvement of the Business Environment which is stipulated in the Japan-Mexico Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), as chairperson on the Japanese side, and will exchange views to further enhance the bilateral economic relations. Mrs. Matsushima will also exchange views on bilateral relations including the product of the EPA with key officials of the new Government of Mexico, which was inaugurated last December, and Congress members of the Committee for Foreign Affairs, Asia and the Pacific and of the Committee for the Promotion of Competitiveness, to further strengthen the political-level relations.

(END)