Taliban representatives visit Tokyo for talks with Japanese officials
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Monthly Digital Subscription
$1 per week for 24 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
Monthly Digital Subscription
$4.99/week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/02/2025 (402 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese officials said senior Taliban representatives were in the capital for talks, as part of Tokyo’s efforts to help Afghanistan build a more inclusive political system and protect human rights.
It’s the Taliban’s first known diplomatic trip outside the Central Asia-Middle East region since they seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021.
The unidentified representatives were invited by grant-making organization Nippon Zaidan and were also set to talk with Japanese Foreign Ministry officials, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters Monday.
The Taliban were invited to help them better understand the need “to have a broad perspective toward their future nation building and to widely accept humanitarian assistance from the international community for vulnerable people,” Nippon Zaidan said in a statement. It declined to give details of the visitors and their schedule.
Japan does not formally recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan’s official government.
Hayashi noted the visit was initiated by a private organization but complements the Japanese government’s effort to work with the international community to call on the Taliban to make policy changes that protect human rights.
The Taliban have imposed wide-ranging restrictions on women and girls, a major hurdle to their recognition as the official government of Afghanistan.
The trip was initially revealed by Latif Nazari, the deputy economy minister, who posted on the X platform that “a high-level delegation” was heading to Japan and that the Taliban seek dignified engagement with the world as an active member of the international community.
No further details about the trip were available from the Taliban government on Tuesday.