Taliban delegation makes a rare visit to Japan, marking an unusual trip beyond their regional boundaries

A delegation from the Taliban government arrived in Japan on Monday for its inaugural diplomatic visit outside the region. The Afghan representatives departed from Kabul on Saturday, with local media reporting that the trip is expected to last one week and includes officials from the ministries of higher education, foreign affairs, and economy.

Latif Nazari, a deputy minister of economy and a member of the delegation, expressed on Twitter, “We aim for dignified engagement with the world to foster a strong, united, advanced, prosperous, and developed Afghanistan, aspiring to be an active participant in the international community.”

While the Taliban government frequently engages in diplomatic visits to neighboring and regional nations, including those in Central Asia, Russia, and China, its official visits to Europe have been limited to diplomatic summits held in Norway in 2022 and 2023.

Following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, Japan’s embassy in Kabul was temporarily relocated to Qatar. However, it has since reopened and resumed its diplomatic and humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan.