Prague, May 16 (CTK) – Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD), accompanied by a delegation of businesspeople, will visit Japan in late June to meet his counterpart Shinzo Abe and discuss cooperation in science, research, investments and tourism, he told CTK on Tuesday.
The defence branch, too, offers a significant opportunity for future bilateral cooperation, he said.
This will be one of Sobotka’s last big foreign trips before the autumn end of his government’s mandate.
The general election is due on October 20-21.
“I would like to complete visiting the Asian trefoil that is very important for the Czech Republic both economically and politically,” Sobotka said.
Accompanied by Czech businesspeople, he has visited South Korea and China already, he said.
“The three countries rank among important investors, they are significant partners in the field of tourism,” he added.
Sobotka and Abe are also to discuss foreign political affairs and EU-Japan relations.
Sobotka will visit Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima.
According to the plan released by the Government Office, his trip will also include negotiations with Japanese trade partners, investors and personalities who play an important role in Czech-Japanese relations.
“The Japanese pursue a number of activities in our country. I consider it important for us to pay the visit [to Japan] to provide political support to mutual relations,” Sobotka said.
The Asahi group took over Plzensky Prazdroj, the largest Czech brewery this March.
A Czech prime minister visited Japan in 2005 last time, when the cabinet was headed by Jiri Paroubek (CSSD).
The personnel composition of the Sobotka-led delegation is still being discussed.
“Some ministers or ministry representatives may join it if their participation is logical. One of the issues of our possible future cooperation with Japan is the defence, in my opinion,” Sobotka said.
