Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is finalizing plans to visit the US at the end of September for the United Nations General Assembly and a possible meeting with President Joe Biden, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Saturday.
The report cited several government sources as saying that the visit could start from September 22 and last for several days, though the names were not revealed.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry and Prime Minister’s Office did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Kishida dropped out of the leadership race on Wednesday The move by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) comes as he will step down as prime minister when his term as party leader ends at the end of September.
The date of the LDP election has not yet been set. According to the Yomiuri, it could be as early as September 20, in which case Kishida will likely address the General Assembly after Japan’s parliament, where the LDP has a majority, has selected his replacement as prime minister.
The paper said some in the Japanese government believe Kishida’s successor should not develop a close relationship with Biden.
Biden, who dropped out of the US presidential election in November, has been named the presidential candidate in his place. Democratic Party candidate Vice President Kamala Harris last monthHe is contesting against Republican candidate former President Donald Trump.