Prime Minister Julia Gillard has arrived in Japan for the first leg of a major tour of North Asia.
Ms Gillard touched down at a Tokyo airport at about 7pm (local time) on Wednesday ahead of meetings on Thursday with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, Prime Minister Naoto Kan, other officials and business leaders
. The prime minister will use the meetings to personally express Australia's condolences for last month's devastating earthquake and tsunami that killed tens of thousands of people.
She will hold more meetings and deliver a keynote address on Friday before attending a sold-out gala tsunami relief fundraising dinner that night.
And, on Saturday, Ms Gillard will tour some of the communities hardest hit by the tsunami.
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Japan is just the first leg of a week-long tour of the region that will also take her to South Korea and China. Economic ties will dominate much of her discussions as Japan, South Korea and China are three of Australia's top four trading partners.
Australia is currently negotiating free trade agreements with all three nations.
After her Asian tour, Ms Gillard heads to the United Kingdom to attend the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.
