Finnish Prime Minister To Arrive In Japan On Tuesday
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin is to arrive in Japan on Tuesday on her first visit to the country. She is scheduled to meet Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio the following day.
Finland is considering joining NATO in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Kishida and Marin are expected to discuss their countries' responses to Moscow.
Finland shares a 1,300-kilometer border with Russia. The Nordic nation maintained military neutrality through the Cold War and remains neutral now.
But the invasion of Ukraine has heightened concerns in Finland about the threat from Russia.
Finland's public broadcaster says the latest opinion poll shows that 76 percent of respondents support joining NATO, up 14 percentage points from the previous survey in March. Only 12 percent oppose it.
Local media report that the country is expected to officially apply for NATO membership along with Sweden, another Nordic country.
Russia has reacted sharply to the move. Russian military aircraft have recently repeatedly entered Finnish airspace. Fears are mounting that Moscow may take some kind of military action before Finland joins NATO.
Marin is hoping to exchange views with Kishida on how to respond to Moscow and support Ukraine.
Marin will also meet with business leaders and university students during her three-day stay in Japan.