Special Envoy of Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, and Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ikuina Akiko, and will arrive in the Maldives on Friday on an official visit, the Japanese Embassy in the Maldives has confirmed.

Ikuina, accompanied by senior officials from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will visit the Maldives from 25 to 27 July. During her visit, she is scheduled to hold meetings with President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and Foreign Minister Dr Abdulla Khaleel.

She will also attend the official Independence Day celebrations and sign a note exchange agreement between the Maldivian Government and Japan on the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) Sustainable Disaster Preparedness Project. Ikuina is expected to deliver remarks at the signing ceremony.

In addition, she will meet Japanese nationals residing in the Maldives and visit the tetrapod monument, which stands as a symbol of the enduring friendship between the two nations.

The Japanese Embassy stated that Ikuina’s visit reflects the historic ties between Japan and the Maldives, adding that it is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations and promote communication. As the Maldives and Japan prepare to celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027, the visit is also seen as supporting efforts towards a “free and open Indo-Pacific.”