[Title] Press Conference by Prime Minister Kishida Regarding His Visit to France, Brazil and Paraguay

(On what Japan will advocate for at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting as the chair country; on the aims of the Prime Minister's visit to Paraguay and Brazil and the fields in which Japan seeks to strengthen cooperation with each of these countries in the future, in the context of the Global South's increasing presence)

From now, I will visit the three countries of France, Brazil, and Paraguay. First of all, this year is the 60th anniversary of Japan's accession to the OECD. I plan to deliver a keynote speech at the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting, speaking as the chair country, advocating for Japan leading efforts to build and then strengthen a rules-based free and fair international economic order. In conjunction with that, I will seek to propel discussions forward on generative artificial intelligence (AI) and other international issues and press ahead with bolstering the OECD's outreach towards the Indo-Pacific region.

At the OECD, I will take on the efforts I just mentioned. Of course, this involves visiting France, and while there I will exchange views with both President Macron and Prime Minister Attal on bilateral ties and international issues while also working to build up our relations.

Next I will head to South America, where I will visit Brazil and Paraguay. In Brazil I plan to confirm with President Lula our bilateral relations as well as our cooperation in international fora, among other matters. Additionally, in Sao Paulo I will deliver a policy speech on Japan's foreign policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean, the first such speech by a Japanese prime minister in nine years. I plan to make the first speech in many years on our foreign policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean looking at the path Japan has taken with the region until now and the pathway we will take together into the future, with "pathway" as the key word.

During my stay in Paraguay, I will have an exchange of views with President Pena on bilateral affairs, including the economy, space, telecommunications, and people-to-people exchanges, as well as on international issues.

Along with this, when visiting these two countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean region, I will be accompanied by an economic mission from Japan's private sector that is 170 strong, hailing from 50 companies, and includes CEO-level executives. We aim to forge deeper exchanges with government representatives and businesspeople from these two countries.

In both countries, I consider it very important for us to reaffirm our cooperative ties with local Nikkei communities of Japanese immigrants and their descendants. I also intend to make this an opportunity to reassert our cooperation with local Nikkei communities, including the younger generation, as we look towards the future.