Japan's national public broadcaster NHK reported that Prime Minister Kishida Fumio will visit Ukraine on March 21.
NHK sources said that Mr. Kishida is expected to visit Ukraine during the day and hold talks with President Volodomyr Zelensky.
Kyodo News quoted a Japanese government source as confirming Prime Minister Kishida's visit to Ukraine.
The news agency noted that it is rare for a Japanese leader to travel abroad without announcing an appointment in advance.
Prime Minister Kishida had a phone call with President Zelensky on January 6 this year. After the phone call, Kishida said he had been invited to visit Ukraine and he was seriously considering the invitation.
Some of the most notable challenges, which are keeping travel schedules and routes confidential, are considered an obstacle for the trip.
In Ukraine, Kishida is expected to demonstrate Japan's commitment to supporting the country. The tour comes ahead of Japan's G7 summit in Hiroshima in May.
Kishida is the last G7 leader to visit Ukraine since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out about a year ago, according to Bloomberg.
Kishida's visit also comes nearly a month after US President Joe Biden made a covert visit to Kiev and met with US counterpart Zelensky.
Prime Minister Kishida's visit to Ukraine was announced in the context of the Japanese leader in New Delhi attending a bilateral summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kishida left Japan for India on March 19.
