Tokyo - Cuba''s First Vice President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Miguel Diaz-Canel, on the first day of his official visit to Tokyo, has praised the excellent relationship between Japan and Cuba.

Diaz-Canel told Prensa Latina that Cuba wishes to deepen and expand trade ties and maintain political dialogue with Japan.

Accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister, Rogelio Sierra, and Cuban ambassador to Japan, Marcos Rodriguez-Costa, the visitor held a meeting this afternoon with Keiji Furuya, chairman of the Japan-Cuba Friendship Parliamentary League. Both leaders reviewed the ties between the two countries.

Later, he visited the Buddhist Zojoji temple in Tokyo, where the monks at this famous site gave him a detailed explanation of the site.

"We have made a lot of progress since 2014 in commercial and political relations between Havana and Tokyo, and we want to show, with this visit, the progress that has been made in the different meetings we have held with leaders and groups, who are working very intensively on ties with Cuba," Diaz-Canel told Prensa Latina.

After recalling that Japan was Cuba's second commercial partner between mid 1970s and 1980s, Diaz-Canel stated that he believed that Japan could play an important role in the current commercial dynamics of the Caribbean island.

He also provided information on the recently 7th Congress of the Cuban Communist Party and the importance of its agreements.

Diaz-Canel will be in Japan until June 3rd.