In an unprecedented diplomatic move, a Taliban government delegation is visiting Japan for the first time, marking a rare trip outside the region. The delegation departed Kabul on Saturday and is expected to stay in Japan for a week. The group includes officials from Afghanistan’s higher education, foreign affairs, and economy ministries.
Latif Nazari, a deputy minister of economy, expressed the delegation’s intention to seek a dignified interaction with the global community, aiming for a strong, united, and prosperous Afghanistan. He tweeted that the Taliban desires to be an active member of the international community.
While the Taliban government has previously made visits to neighboring countries like Russia, China, and Central Asia, its international diplomatic engagements have been limited, with official visits to Europe only occurring for diplomacy summits in Norway in 2022 and 2023. Japan, which had relocated its embassy to Qatar after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, resumed its diplomatic activities in Afghanistan earlier.
During their visit, the Afghan delegation plans to hold discussions with Japanese government officials, focusing on various diplomatic matters. Japan’s foreign ministry has yet to comment on the visit.
