Japan PM to visit Latin America, Caribbean

Tokyo, July 15, 2014.- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will depart on a five-nation tour of Latin America and the Caribbean this month in a bid to boost ties with the region's emerging economies, an official said Tuesday.

Abe is to visit Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Chile and Brazil from July 25 to August 2, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, the Japanese government's top spokesman.

The trip would mark the first time a Japanese premier visits Trinidad and Tobago and Colombia, while it would be the first visit in at least a decade for other nations on the tour, Suga added.

"Central and South America are increasingly important for the Japanese economy because of their growing economies and natural resources," Suga said.