TEHRAN - Japan's Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu plans to visit Tehran as early as mid-August to meet senior officials of Iran’s new government, Japanese media reported. 

Toshimitsu will likely visit Iran after Ebrahim Raisi takes over as president from the incumbent, Hassan Rouhani, in early August, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.

In meetings with Iran's new foreign minister and other figures in Raisi's government, Toshimitsu is expected to urge them to play a constructive role in the effort to ease tensions and bring stability to the region. 

He is also expected to convey Japan's willingness to strengthen its traditional friendship with Iran.

Toshimitsu and Iranian officials will likely discuss indirect talks between Iran and the United States over the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The Japanese foreign minister also plans to visit Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Qatar.

Following Ayatollah Raisi's victory in the June 18 presidential election, Katsunobu Kato, chief cabinet secretary of Japan, told a news conference that he hoped that Iran, under the presidency of President-elect Ebrahim Raisi, would help stabilize the West Asian region.

“Peace and stability in the region are very important to Japan,” he said, noting that 90 percent of Japan's crude oil imports come from West Asia.