TOKYO, Nov. 26 Kyodo Philippine P...

TOKYO, Nov. 26 Kyodo

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will make a four-day state visit to Japan from Monday and will encounter with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi onward Dec. 4, a Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday.

Koizumi and Arroyo, the first Philippine president to make a state visit to Japan since Fidel Ramos's state visit in 1993 are awaited to confirm that the couple countries will continue to elevate friendly relations and work toward regional peace and prosperity, the official said.

She will pay a courtesy call upon Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace nearest Tuesday morning after arriving in Tokyo onward Monday afternoon, the official said.

Koizumi invited Arroyo to visit Japan during his trip to the Philippines in January.

She will address the Diet in the House of Councillors chamber upon Tuesday and Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi and Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma will respectively pay courtesy calls forward Arroyo on Tuesday and upon Dec. 4, the official said.

She will give a pres conversation at the Japan National Pres sodality on Dec. 4, before meeting with Hiranuma and Koizumi later in the day, the official said.

Arroyo, who visited Japan in September last year and in May this year, will leave in the afternoon onward Dec. 5, the official said.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo just discovereds International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group