Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa will leave Japan on Wednesday for a tour of four Latin American nations and the United States.

During his trip until mid-January, Hayashi will hold talks with his counterparts in Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil and Argentina.

He is expected to call on the ministers for cooperation in dealing with soaring energy and food prices amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as securing a stable supply of mineral resources.

He also plans to hold a ministerial-level public debate session on the rule of law at the United Nations headquarters in New York as Japan serves as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for two years beginning in 2023. The country holds the monthly rotating presidency of the council in January.

In the debate, Hayashi plans to stress the importance of strengthening the international order, with an eye on the Russian invasion and China's increasing maritime activities.

Japanese officials are also working to arrange "two-plus-two" talks between the foreign and defense ministers of Japan and the United States during Hayashi's visit.

The Japanese government last month approved key defense documents to revamp the country's defense strategy. One of the new policies would give the country the capability to launch counterstrikes under specific circumstances.