Japan's foreign minister and Paraguay's new president have agreed that the two nations will work together to reinforce the international order based on the rule of law.

Hayashi Yoshimasa visited Paraguay on Friday on the last leg of his five-nation trip to Latin America and the Caribbean. He spoke with president-elect Santiago Pena for about an hour.

Hayashi said Paraguay is a longtime friend of Japan with the 10,000 people of Japanese descent in the country and an important partner that shares values and principles. He said he wants to continue to strengthen bilateral ties with the incoming Pena administration.

Pena won last Sunday's presidential election, and his campaign included a pledge to maintain ties with Taiwan.

Paraguay is the only remaining country in South America to have diplomatic ties with Taiwan despite China's increasing assertiveness.

Hayashi also met with Paraguay's foreign minister Julio Cesar Arriola Ramirez earlier in the day.

Regarding Japan-China diplomacy, Hayashi said Japan will assert its position and ask Beijing for accountable behavior, while seeking bilateral cooperation in tackling common challenges.

Arriola voiced his support for Japan's efforts to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Hayashi said in an online news conference he will take into consideration what he heard from each country to prepare for the discussions at the G7 Hiroshima Summit, slated for two weeks from now.