Japanese PM kicks off 5-nation visit to Latin America

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left Tokyo Friday to start a five-nation tour of Latin America, local media reported.

During the 11-day visit, Abe is scheduled to meet with the leaders of Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Chile and Brazil, in order to promote infrastructure exports and strengthen economic ties with the region in the field of resources and energy development.

"I would like to strengthen relations with Latin America, which has unlimited potential," Abe told reporters earlier Friday, expressing his intention to explore business opportunities there with corporate executives who are traveling with him.

Japan's Sankei newspaper reported Friday that Mizuho, one of Japan's biggest banks, is to sign a deal for about $500-million worth of loans to Brazil's state-run oil firm Petrobras to help fund oil exploration off the country's coast.

Besides economic consideration, the prime minister also want to seek support from those counties for Japan's bid next year for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council from 2016, Japan's Kyodo News Agency cited a government official as saying.

Abe will return Japan on Aug 4.