President William Ruto will embark on an official two-day visit to Japan on Tuesday.
The visit is expected to reciprocate a visit by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to Nairobi last year as part of a four-nation African tour of Egypt, Kenya, Ghana and Mozambique.
The diplomatic tour is aimed at further strengthening friendly relations between Japan and Kenya and improving Kenya’s economy.
Prime Minister’s Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who is also the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, announced the upcoming visit during an interdenominational prayer service in Kakamega on Sunday.
Mudavadi said the meeting between President Ruto and Prime Minister Kishida is expected to discuss trade and economic partnerships, education, scholarships and infrastructure development as well as regional peace and security concerns within East Africa.
During the upcoming visit, President Ruto will tour Tokyo and Aichi Prefecture, a manufacturing hub in the centre of Honshu Island.
Mudavadi highlighted the strong ties and cooperation between Kenya and other foreign countries, including Japan, under President Ruto’s administration.
The President will be accompanied by First Lady Rachel Ruto, among others, to lobby for critical infrastructure projects for Kenya.
Mudavadi said Japan has funded key projects in Kenya’s health, agriculture and education sectors.
“Such projects include the upgrading of the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) laboratory, the construction of the Mombasa Southern Bypass and the implementation of an intelligent transport system in Mombasa County,” he said.
Mr Mudavadi defended the Kenyatta administration’s foreign travels, saying they were enabling fair and transparent financial development, which was important in easing Kenya’s debt problems.
He urged critics of President Ruto’s administration to stop castigating him for such foreign trips, saying they were bringing many benefits to Kenyans.
“I will be hosting Polish President Andrzej Sebastian Duda with whom we have an agreement for a Sh8 billion project. This money will be used to grow the dairy industry in Kenya,” said Dr Ruto.
