As part of his 8-day U.S. state visit, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will deliver a speech at a joint meeting of the U.S. Senate and House Representatives on April 29.

This will be the first time that a Japanese leader will speak in front of the two legislative bodies.

House Speaker John Boehner said Prime Minister Abe's speech will be a good venue for the Americans to hear the voice and insights of a close ally.  The speech is expected to cover issues on economic cooperation and security concerns.

Like Us on Facebook

"That, of course, includes working together to open markets and encourage more economic growth through free trade," said Rep. Boehner.

For his part, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the event will mark another milestone for a stronger U.S.-Japan alliance.

"This will be a splendid opportunity to send a message to the world - that the United States and Japan reconciled after the war and, as strong allies, have contributed to the peace and prosperity of international society," Suga said.

PM Abe's 8-day visit to the U.S. is expected to include crucial discussions on the China's increasing aggressiveness in the Asian Region and ways to best deal with it.

Aside from security concerns, economic cooperation will also be tackled especially that U.S. President Barack Obama considers trade as an important factor to further strengthen America's diplomacy and alliances in Asia.

The Japanese prime minister will be the third state leader to address both houses this year. On March 3, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech to both houses. On March 25, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani also spoke to both houses.

Analysts consider the event as a personal milestone for Prime Minister Abe. In 1957, his grandfather Kishi Nobuske, who was then also prime minister, spoke to both houses. The last Japanese leader who was able to deliver a speech before both houses was former Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda in 1961.

TagsUnited States Congress, US-Japan