Winston Peters to Visit Singapore and Japan Next Week

Mr Peters will begin his visit in Singapore, describing the country as one of New Zealand's closest partners.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Singapore and Japan next week for a series of high-level meetings focused on strengthening diplomatic, economic and regional ties. Mr Peters will begin his visit in Singapore, describing the country as one of New Zealand's closest partners. He said the relationship, supported by the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, continues to play an important role in advancing both countries' prosperity and security.

The discussions will also focus on growing cooperation between Southeast Asia and the Pacific. With Singapore serving as the 2026 ASEAN Chair and New Zealand preparing to host the Pacific Islands Forum in 2027, both sides are expected to explore ways to build stronger regional connections and deepen collaboration.

Regional security and global issues on the agenda

During his stay in Singapore, Mr Peters will meet Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan along with other senior government leaders. The meetings will cover opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation while also addressing major regional and international developments. The visit reflects New Zealand's continued focus on working closely with trusted partners as geopolitical and economic challenges evolve across the Indo-Pacific region.

Japan meetings to focus on trade and investment

Mr Peters will then travel to Japan, where he is scheduled to meet political leaders and representatives from the business community. He said New Zealand and Japan share similar views on many international issues and that cooperation between the two countries has become increasingly valuable. Their partnership covers areas including defence cooperation through monitoring United Nations sanctions on North Korea, support for free and open trade, and efforts to strengthen the international rules-based order. Talks with Japanese business leaders will highlight opportunities for long-term investment in New Zealand. Mr Peters said the Government wants to further strengthen commercial ties and encourage more Japanese companies to invest across New Zealand's economy. The Foreign Minister will depart New Zealand on 5 July and return on 12 July.