Japan's Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi says he will visit Belgium this week to attend the foreign ministers' meeting of NATO members and partners. He also plans to call on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to exempt Japan from recently announced tariffs.



Iwaya stated at a news conference on Tuesday that he will depart for his four-day trip to Brussels on Wednesday.



He said he will attend the NATO meeting along with the foreign ministers of partner nations including South Korea and Australia.



Iwaya said he hopes to coordinate responses with other countries against unilateral attempts that aim to change the status quo by force, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He also hopes to share a common understanding on maintaining and strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law.



Iwaya said that a meeting of foreign ministers of Japan, United States and South Korea will be held on the sidelines.



Iwaya also said he hopes to exchange opinions with Rubio, and wants to convey the impact of the proposed US tariffs on the Japanese economy in order to seek an exemption.