KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9- The Prime Minister of Japan, Shigeru Ishiba, will make an official visit to Malaysia for two days starting tomorrow.

This will be his first visit to the country since taking office in October last year.

A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Ishiba will be honored at an Official Welcome Ceremony at the Perdana Putra Complex in Putrajaya, followed by a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Both parties are expected to review the progress of bilateral relations between Malaysia and Japan.

This will particularly focus on trade and investment, human resource development, and cooperation in the energy sector.

Datuk Seri Anwar and Ishiba are also expected to exchange views on various regional and international issues of mutual interest, including the situation in the Middle East.

Malaysia's relationship with Japan has strengthened since it was upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in December 2023.

Japan is a key economic partner for Malaysia, with a total of 2,821 manufacturing projects involving Japanese participation implemented in Malaysia as of June 2024.