Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong arrived in Japan yesterday to attend the annual Nikkei "Future of Asia" Conference, which starts today.

He will deliver the keynote speech at the two-day conference in Tokyo, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday.

While in Tokyo, Mr Goh will also meet Japanese political and business leaders, said the ministry.

He will return to Singapore tomorrow.

Singapore has been a key participant in the conference since it was established by Japanese publisher Nikkei Inc in 1995.

The late Mr Lee Kuan Yew was among the first to speak at the annual event.

Mr Goh delivered his first keynote speech at the forum last year, urging Asian countries to build trust and share a common strategic vision in order to harness the region's full potential.

The conference will feature speakers including Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Asean Secretary-General Le Luong Minh and former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Last week, Mr Goh was a keynote speaker at the annual Jeju Forum in South Korea. He called on Asian countries to look beyond historical legacies and show greater cooperative leadership for Asia to realise its full potential.

Other speakers at the forum also made similar calls for leaders in the region to rise above bilateral, territorial and historical disputes.