Prime Minister Abe embarked for Latin America on Friday, where he’ll visit five countries on an 11-day tour. Abe intends to visit Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as Colombia by the 4th of August.

The goal of the trip, he says, is to boost Japan’s economy by strengthening relations with the resource-rich nations. Abe hopes to increase the number of energy suppliers and accelerate the expansion of Japanese companies into local markets.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister wants to gather support in the area to improve his chances of becoming a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.