KPL
On May 29, 2025, Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith met with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru in Tokyo for a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 30th International Conference on the Future of Asia, hosted by the Nikkei Newspaper.
(KPL) On May 29, 2025, Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith met with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru in Tokyo for a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 30th International Conference on the Future of Asia, hosted by the Nikkei Newspaper.
President Thongloun expressed gratitude for the warm reception extended to the Lao delegation and praised the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Laos and Japan. The meeting took place in a year of special significance, marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 60th anniversary of the Japanese volunteer program in Laos. Since 1965, over 1,100 Japanese volunteers and 4,500 experts have contributed to development efforts in the Lao PDR.
Both sides welcomed the upcoming visit of Her Royal Highness Princess Aiko to Laos in November 2025, calling it a significant milestone in bilateral relations.
They also praised the success of Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone’s recent official visit to Japan and the elevation of Laos–Japan relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in January 2025. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the outcomes of that visit, particularly enhancing economic cooperation and encouraging further Japanese investment in Laos.
President Thongloun thanked the Japanese government and people for their longstanding support in areas such as socio-economic development, human resource training—especially in the justice sector—disaster relief, infrastructure development, climate change mitigation, and unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance. Japan’s support also extended to helping Laos successfully chair ASEAN in 2024.
In a move to boost tourism and people-to-people ties, President Thongloun announced that Laos will extend the visa exemption period for Japanese passport holders from 15 to 30 days, effective June 1, 2025.
Prime Minister Ishiba reaffirmed Japan’s continued support for Laos in areas including economic development, legal reform, investment promotion, disaster preparedness, and climate cooperation under initiatives such as the Asian Zero Emissions Community (AZEC).
The two leaders also exchanged views on key regional and international issues of mutual interest.
KPL
