Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Japan as he considers presidential bid

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Japan on Monday to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other officials as part of his four-nation trade mission seen as an attempt by the potential Republican presidential candidate to raise his diplomatic profile.

During their meeting Monday at the Prime Minister's office, Kishida told DeSantis that reinforcement of Japan-U.S. ties is key to ensuring the peace, stability and prosperity of the international society, and the two exchanged views on regional issues, according to a Japanese Foreign Ministry statement.

DeSantis is considered the biggest challenger to former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential election. The Florida governor is expected to make a final decision about entering the race sometime after his state's legislative session ends in early May.