Latin American tour: After Xi and Putin, it’s Abe

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe opened a five-country tour of Latin America with a visit to Mexico on Friday, July 25, marked by a signing of several agreements between the two countries. Abe will then proceed to Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil, where he is also set to seal economic deals. The region’s “growing economies and natural resources” will be an important aspect in helping the Japanese economy grow. Abe’s visit comes after Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin visited several Latin American countries days prior. Both leaders also sealed numerous trade deals, and attended the BRICS meeting in Brazil, where the bloc announced the creation of a global financial group to rival the World Bank.

Read more about Shinzo Abe’s charm offensive, on Rappler.