Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Cuban President Raul Castro agreed on Thursday to expand bilateral economic ties through increased Japanese investment in the Caribbean country and the cancellation of a major part of the debt it owes Japan, reported the Japanese news agency Kyodo on Friday.

During a meeting in Havana, Abe, who became the first Japanese prime minister to visit Cuba, also unveiled grants worth about 1.3 billion yen ($12.9 million) in medical aid to the country, according to Japanese officials.

Abe referred to a recent bilateral agreement for Japan to waive 120 billion yen of a 180 billion yen debt that Cuba owes Japan, the officials added.

Source: MENA