Washington (AFP) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel next month to Japan and Indonesia, ahead of a regional meeting of Pacific nations, the State Department announced on Thursday.
Kerry’s travel to the two nations will take place from October 1-7.
The U.S. top diplomat goes to Tokyo from October 2-3, where he will join U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel for the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee (SCC) meeting.
“The meeting represents the next step in further strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance, providing an opportunity to build on our already broad and comprehensive bilateral relationship,” the State Department said in a press release.
Kerry continues on to Bali, Indonesia on October 4, to lead the State Department’s delegation to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministerial Meeting.
He also will accompany U.S. President Barack Obama at meetings in Bali of the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation summit(APEC).
“APEC is the premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade, and investment in the Asia-Pacific region,” the State Department release said.
“Promoting trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific remains a key component of the U.S. rebalance policy.”
The statement went on to say that in Bali Kerry will take part in “a broad range of multilateral and bilateral meetings with officials from APEC member economies.”
Photo Credit: AFP/Andrew Burton
