Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe planned to visit Middle East countries from late April to early May, the Asahi Shimbun reported, quoting government officials.

Destinations of Abe's tour, which will follow his tour to the United States, are expected to include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Egypt.

In the Middle East, Abe will reaffirm Tokyo's resolve to work for peace and stability in the region, especially in Iraq, the newspaper said, adding that the prime minister will also take the chance to strengthen economic ties with the oil-rich region for strategic reasons.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki refused to confirm the reports about Abe's Middle East tour in late February, saying "nothing has been decided."

Source: Xinhua