Afghanistan Taliban makes debut diplomatic travel to Japan | Taliban news

The delegation says that the Taliban is looking for a “decent” global interaction as it builds a “strong” and “developed” Afghanistan.

A delegation of the Taliban arrived in Japan for what is the first visit to the group to run Afghanistan, according to media in the country of East Asia.

The external delegation consisting of foreign affairs, education, economics and health officials arrived on Sunday to visit the week, Asahi Shimbun reported. The visit is rare for the Taliban, whose diplomatic trips have previously remained close to Afghanistan after returning power in 2021.

Representatives of the Taliban are expected to seek humanitarian support and potentially discuss diplomatic ties with Japanese officials.

Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of the Taliban Ministry of Economy, described the visit as part of the group's efforts to become an “active member of the international community”.

“We are looking for a decent interaction with the world to be a strong, united, advanced, prosperous, developed Afghanistan and to be an active member of the international community,” Nazari, who is part of the delegation, wrote on Saturday, according to an X.

Referring to Afghan diplomatic sources, Japan's public operator NHK said the Taliban representatives plan to “exchange opinions with Japanese government officials.”

A rare trip outside the region

While the Taliban government makes regular visits to neighboring and regional countries, including Central Asia, Russia and China, it rarely travels outside the region. He has officially visited Europe only for meetings at the Norway diplomacy in 2022 and 2023.

The Japan Embassy in Kabul has temporarily moved to Qatar after the fall of the previously supported government and the absorption by the Taliban in 2021, but since then it has opened and resumed diplomatic and humanitarian activities in the country.

The Taliban's visit to Japan comes just days after ISIL (ISIS) has taken responsibility for a Suicide attack Outside the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing in Kabul, the latest in a series of attacks on the group.

The Japan Embassy condemned the attack, posting on X on Sunday that “these terror attacks should stop immediately.”

We condemn the abominable terrorist attack at the DE Factory Ministry of Urban Development and Housing in Kabul on February 13, which led to many people killed and injured.
We express condolences to the victims and families of those affected.

– Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan (@japaninafg) February 16, 2025