Abe was killed by a gunman in July while delivering a campaign speech in the Japanese city of Nara. The state funeral will be the second held by Japan for a former prime minister since World War II. Over 6,000 Japanese and foreign officials are expected to attend the event.
"The purpose of this trip is threefold: first, obviously, to honor the legacy of Prime Minster Abe and support the Japanese people as they mourn the tragedy of his assassination. Second, to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to our allies in an increasingly complex security environment. And third, to deepen our overall engagements in the Indo-Pacific region," a senior US administration official told reporters last week
On Monday, Harris will arrive in Tokyo and meet with current Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the senior official said. The leaders are expected to discuss the US-Japan alliance, space cooperation and regional issues such as tensions in the Taiwan Strait, according to the official.
On Tuesday, Harris will attend Abe’s state funeral and meet with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, with whom she will discuss Indo-Pacific developments, including work by the "Quad" alliance and climate change, the official said.
Harris will also meet with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo while he is in Tokyo for the state funeral, during which time she will discuss the US-South Korea security alliance, the official added.
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On Wednesday, Harris will convene a group of Japanese business executives in the semiconductor industry to discuss investment in manufacturing, supply chain resilience and research and development, according to the official.
Later on Wednesday, Harris will go to a US naval base in Japan to receive a briefing and tour of a destroyer ship, as well as meet with soldiers and deliver remarks on enduring US commitments to the Indo-Pacific region, the official also said.
On Thursday, Harris will travel to South Korea for a bilateral meeting with President Yoon Suk-yeol, the official said. Harris will discuss the strength of the US-South Korea alliance, threats posed by North Korea, stability across the Taiwan Strait and technology partnership, according to the official.
Harris will also hold a roundtable discussion with "groundbreaking Korean women" to discuss gender issues in South Korea and around the world, the official added.
While there are no deliverables expected to be announced by the United States during the trip, engagement can be a deliverable onto itself, the official said.
The trip will occur amid the possibility of further North Korean nuclear or missile tests, as well as increased tensions between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan relations.