Abe becomes first Japanese leader to visit Communist-ruled Cuba
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe became the first Japanese leader to visit Communist-ruled Cuba on September 22, landing in Havana to hold talks with Cuban President Raul Castro on topics from boosting trade to curbing the DPRK's nuclear program.
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Abe's visit to the Caribbean island is one of a slew by western leaders since it began normalizing ties with the United States nearly two years ago. US President Barack Obama visited Cuba in March.
In an interview published in Cuba's Communist Party newspaper Granma on September 22, Abe said he wanted to discuss trade, investment, cooperating on development and strengthening tourism exchange.
"I also want to exchange opinions with a Cuba that holds great influence among the non-aligned countries about the reform of the United Nations Security Council, nuclear disarmament, the situation in Asia and other topics involving the international community," he was quoted as saying.
Abe flew in to Cuba from New York, where he told the annual UN General Assembly on September 21 that the threat posed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear program this year was "substantially more serious" than it was in the past.
