Taliban Government's First International Visit: Afghan Delegation Arrives in Japan

Taliban Government's First International Visit: Afghan Delegation Arrives in Japan

February 17, 2025: A delegation from the Taliban government, which holds power in Afghanistan, has arrived in Japan for its first international trip. The delegation consists of officials from Afghanistan’s ministries of foreign affairs, education, economy, and health.

According to the influential Asian newspaper Asahi Shimbun, the visit is a week-long, and the delegation arrived in Japan on Sunday. This marks the first major international trip for the Taliban since regaining power in Afghanistan in 2021, as they had previously not traveled outside the country.

The Taliban representatives are expected to seek humanitarian assistance and discuss potential diplomatic ties with Japanese officials. Latif Nazari, the deputy minister of the economy ministry, described the visit as part of their efforts to become an "active member of the international community."

In his post, he mentioned, "We seek dignified relationships with the world to build a strong, unified, developed, and prosperous Afghanistan and to be an active member of the international community."

Previous visits by the Taliban government were usually limited to neighboring countries and regions like the Middle East, Central Asia, Russia, and China. However, this visit marks a rare occasion on the international stage for the group. After visits to Norway in 2022 and 2023, this is their first major international visit.

Meanwhile, just days after the Taliban's visit, an ISIS (ISIL) suicide bombing occurred outside the Ministry of Urban Development in Kabul, killing and injuring several people. The Japanese government strongly condemned the attack and called for an immediate end to such terrorist acts.