Kishida Off to U.S. for Final Overseas Trip as Japan PM

Tokyo, Sept. 21 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday left Tokyo for the United States on his final overseas trip before stepping down as his country's leader.

During the trip, Kishida is set to attend a summit of the Quad countries of Japan, the United States, Australia and India near Wilmington, Delaware. He will also deliver a speech for the Summit of the Future to be held at the United Nations in New York.

He will return to Japan on Tuesday.

Before departing Tokyo's Haneda Airport aboard a government plane, Kishida told reporters at the prime minister's official residence that he hopes to "further boost cooperation with (other) Quad nations to achieve a free and open Indo-Pacific region."

He said he will voice his views on building a peaceful, free and rich world in his speech at the Summit of the Future.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]