(MENAFN- QNA) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to visit Japan in mid-March for talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.
Sources in the Japanese and U.S. governments said arrangements for the visit are now underway.
Japan hopes to use the occasion to lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to the United States, planned for around early May, Japan's Radio (NHK) World reported.
Kishida is expected to brief Kerry on his government's efforts to establish legislation for allowing Japan to exercise the right to collective self-defense.
He also hopes to confirm that the two countries will steadily carry out a review of the Japan-U.S. defense cooperation guidelines.
Kishida is expected to explain Japan's efforts to step up anti-terrorism measures after the killing of two Japanese hostages.
The two officials are also expected to exchange opinions on speeding up negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement.
On Tuesday, Kerry expressed his intention to visit Asian countries next month in an appearance at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
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