Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to announce his intention to strengthen support for protection of the Amazon rainforest during his visit to Brazil in early May, government sources said Wednesday.
The measures are centered on financial contributions and assistance for regenerating degraded farmland to prevent deforestation and promote the development of sustainable agricultural landscapes, the sources said.
Kishida, who is scheduled to visit Brazil next week, is expected to sign a comprehensive cooperative agreement on climate change, decarbonization and other environmental issues when he meets with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the sources added.
His visit to the Latin American nation would come as Japan has been seeking to deepen relations with developing and emerging countries, collectively dubbed the "Global South," among which Brazil is viewed as one of the key players, along with India and Indonesia.
Brazil is slated to host the 30th session of the Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, known as COP30, in 2025. Lula has been eager to take steps to save the Amazon rainforest, called the "lungs of the Earth."
Regarding food security, Japan imports a variety of agricultural products from Brazil, including soybeans and corn.
Kishida may promise to utilize cutting-edge agricultural technologies in Brazil to boost productivity through programs provided by the government-sponsored Japan International Cooperation Agency, according to the sources.
The Japanese leader's upcoming six-day tour through May 6 will also include visits to neighboring Paraguay as well as France, the sources said.
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