JAPAN will be the first country Dr Mahathir Mohamad visits since becoming prime minister for the second time.

A source at the Prime Minister’s Office told Malaysia Decides that Dr Mahathir will be attending next month’s “24th International Conference on The Future of Asia” in Tokyo, organised annually by Nikkei Inc.

The trip is not an official working visit to Japan. Dr Mahathir has been attending the Nikkei Conference for the last 17 years.

According to the conference’s tentative programme, Dr Mahathir will be speaking in a dialogue on June 11.

His attendance at the two-day conference was a subject discussed in a phone conversation between Dr Mahathir and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe at 11.45am today.

In a statement issued by PMO today, Abe had extended his congratulations to the 93-year-old Dr Mahathir on winning the election and forming the new government in Malaysia.

Abe and Dr Mahathir spoke about strengthening bilateral ties. Dr Mahathir also expressed his gratitude to Japan for its contributions in Malaysia’s growth and progress.

Ties between Malaysia and Japan has been strong for years. When he was prime minister the first time from 1981 to 2003, Dr Mahathir introduced the “Look East Policy” to emulate Japan and its rapid economic growth. – May 24, 2018.