New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark will begin a visit to Japan and South Korea Tuesday, hoping to build on momentum established by the free trade agreement signed last month with China.

New Zealand is the first developed country to have signed a free trade agreement with China.

Officials in Wellington say they are not expecting much in the way of progress on a similar deal with Japan, but say there are more favourable signs from South Korea.

Ms Clark will arrive in Tokyo on Tuesday, and will hold talks with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on Wednesday.

She will then meet South Korean President Lee Lee Myung-Bak, who took office in February, in Seoul on Friday.

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