Moldova to host historic visit by Japanese Cabinet member

The Republic of Moldova will host the visit of Japan’s Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, Yoshimasa Hayashi, on May 2–3, 2026.

He will arrive in Chișinău, marking the first visit by a member of the Japanese Cabinet to the country.

Hayashi, who also serves as chairman of the Japan–Moldova Parliamentary Friendship Group, is a prominent figure in Japanese politics, having previously held key positions such as Chief Cabinet Secretary and Minister of Foreign Affairs. The official delegation will also include Shigeharu Aoyama, Japan’s State Minister for the Environment, CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.

The Japanese official’s agenda includes meetings with Moldova’s leadership: President Maia Sandu; Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popșoi; Minister of Internal Affairs Daniela Misail-Nichitin; and Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization Eugen Osmocheșu.

A key moment of the visit will be the signing of a memorandum of cooperation in the digital sector between the relevant ministries of the two countries. This document will lay the foundation for a strong technological partnership aimed at supporting Moldova’s modernization and digitalization efforts with advanced expertise from Japan.

According to the Japanese diplomatic mission, the main goal of the visit is to deepen bilateral dialogue and identify new opportunities for cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The presence of Japanese officials in Chișinău reaffirms Japan’s commitment to supporting Moldova’s development path and strengthening diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries. The visit will also provide a framework for high-level exchanges of views on regional security and future prospects for the Moldova–Japan partnership.

Photo: Chat GPT