Hanoi  - Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung is to visit Japan this week for meetings with Japanese political and business leaders, local media reported Monday.

Dung is to attend an annual conference on The Future of Asia, sponsored by the Japanese financial newspaper Nikkei, during his trip from Thursday to Saturday, the online newspaper Lao Dong (Labour) said.

Dung is to also hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and the leaders of both houses of Japan's parliament.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Bich Dat said Dung would also meet with major Japanese companies to discuss investment, trade and official development aid but declined to provide details.

Japan is the largest donor to Vietnam, having given the country 15 billion dollars since 1992.

Bilateral trade between the two countries was 17 billion dollars in 2008. (dpa)