The state minister of science and technology policy said Friday he will visit four European countries next week to ask them to participate in a global science and technology convention to be held in Japan in September 2004.
Hiroyuki Hosoda said he will depart Monday on a six-day visit to France, Belgium, Spain and Sweden to urge them to attend the meeting in Kyoto. The convention will be held in the style of the annual Davos meeting of the World Economic Forum.
He said he will also visit potential sites for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project in France and Spain.