Foreign minister reaffirms Japan's economic ties to Thailand

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida (L) meets with Thailand's Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok, Thailand, May 1, 2016. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Japan's foreign minister arrived in Bangkok on Sunday aiming to reaffirm economic ties after Japanese investments in Thailand slumped last year amid political concerns as well as stiff competition emerging from more nimble neighbours.

Japan has historically been the largest investor in Thailand, Southeast Asia's second biggest economy, which it sees as an important production base.