Tokyo [Japan], May 2 (ANI/Sputnik): Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will meet with Pope Francis on May 4 during his official working visit to the Vatican, the Kyodo news agency reported, citing the Holy See.

Kishida's trip to the Vatican will mark the first visit of a Japanese prime minister to the country in eight years. Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the Vatican in 2014.

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Kishida is seeking to enlist the Pope's support for a "world without nuclear weapons," a thesis, to which the head of the Japanese government attaches special importance.

Last Friday, Kishida started his tour of five nations in Southeast Asia and Europe. Following his visits to Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, the Japanese prime minister will fly to Italy on Tuesday. After that, he will travel to the United Kingdom. The purpose of Kishida's tour is strengthening relations with partner countries amid China's growing power and the wide condemnation of Russia's military operation in Ukraine. (ANI/Sputnik)

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(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)