TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba embarked Thursday on his first trip to South America since taking office, where he will attend summits of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Peru and the Group of 20 economies in Brazil.

On the fringes of the gatherings, Ishiba, who became prime minister on Oct. 1, plans to hold talks with his counterparts from China, South Korea and the United States, among other countries.

The flurry of diplomatic events comes shortly after former U.S. President Donald Trump, known for his hard-line stance on China and protectionist views, succeeded in his bid to return to the White House in last week's presidential election.

Ishiba is seeking to meet with Trump in person before his return to Japan, though no date has been fixed. The Japanese leader spoke with Trump over the phone for about five minutes to congratulate the Republican on his election victory, describing him as a "friendly" person who he thinks he can talk frankly with.

Ishiba told reporters before leaving Tokyo's Haneda airport that he wants to discuss how Japan can contribute to fostering economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region at the APEC forum and lead the debate on how the G20 group of advanced and developing economies can share responsibilities and build cooperation.

During the APEC summit on Friday and Saturday, the leaders are expected to reaffirm the importance of free trade. The participants include U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who are scheduled to hold one-on-one talks on Saturday in Peru.

Ishiba will be meeting with Biden and Xi for the first time since becoming the Japanese leader.

"Former Prime Minister (Fumio) Kishida charted a clear path for trilateral cooperation with the United States and South Korea, so I will discuss further developing it" with Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Ishiba also said he hopes to discuss frankly with Xi "some outstanding challenges as well as common issues" that the two nations can work on, without elaborating.

He was endorsed by parliament on Monday to continue serving as prime minister following the Oct. 27 general election that saw his ruling coalition lose its majority in the House of Representatives.

The leaders of Japan and Peru, this year's APEC host, will hold a bilateral meeting to deepen cooperation in a range of areas, as the South American nation plays an important role in supply chains for critical minerals.

In Brazil, Ishiba will join other G20 leaders next Monday and Tuesday to discuss global challenges, amid Russia's war in Ukraine and heightened tensions in the Middle East.

This year's chair Brazil is placing priority on addressing poverty and hunger, pushing for better global governance and ensuring sustainable development.

Accounting for about half of global trade, the APEC members are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.

The G20, meanwhile, includes non-APEC members like Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Brazil and India.