ISTANBUL

Tokyo and Washington are arranging a state visit by US President Donald Trump to Japan in late October, Jiji Press reported on Wednesday, citing government sources.

With Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expected to leave the position next month, Trump would likely meet his successor during the visit. Ishiba had asked Trump to visit Japan at an early date during his visit to the US in February.

Earlier, Trump said he would be joining the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, to be hosted by South Korea on Oct. 31.

The report said his possible visit to Japan, first since the beginning of his second presidential term, is likely to take place before his summit attendance.

At a press conference in Tokyo on Thursday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi did not offer any details about Trump’s possible visit, but said "the importance of the Japan-US alliance as a cornerstone of Japan's diplomatic and security policies will not change."

Trump visited Japan during his first term and met then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in November 2017 and in May and June of 2019.

Separately, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday that Kuala Lumpur awaits the attendance of Trump at the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Malaysia next month.

In July, Anwar announced Trump would attend the ASEAN summit in October.