SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will make a working visit to Tokyo, Japan, from May 24 to 27, said the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Monday (May 23).

He will be meeting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, as well as other Japanese political and business leaders. Mr Kishida took office in October 2021.

Mr Lee's visit is in conjunction with the 27th International Conference on the Future of Asia organised by the Japanese Nikkei business media group. He will be delivering a keynote speech at the conference on May 26.

The theme of the conference is Redefining Asia's Role in a Divided World.

The PMO said Mr Lee will be accompanied by Mrs Lee, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Manpower Minister and Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng, and Dr Janil Puthucheary, who is Senior Minister of State for Health, and Communications and Information, and also the Minister-in-charge of GovTech.

Officials from the PMO, the ministries of Communications and Information, Foreign Affairs, and Trade and Industry will also accompany Mr Lee on the trip.

During Mr Lee's absence, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean will be Acting Prime Minister, said the PMO.

In an interview with Nikkei on Friday (May 20) ahead of his visit, Mr Lee said Singapore and Japan can learn from each other to develop smart cities and how to do digital governance. They can also cooperate on alternative energy and developing sustainable economies, he said.

Mr Lee also noted that the Japan-Singapore Economic Partnership Agreement, established in 2002 and revised in 2007, needs to be updated again.

In January, Singapore and Japan made a pact to further reduce carbon emissions. They also pledged to support each other on other issues such as economic recovery past the Covid-19 pandemic and boosting innovation and sustainability.