TOKYO, Jan. 14 -- Shotaro Yachi, head of Japan's newly launched secretariat of National Security Council (NSC), will pay visits to the United States and four European countries, as well as India, according to local media.

The visit to the United States, a key ally of Japan, aims to brief U.S. officials on the newly launched Japanese NSC, Japan's Kyodo News quoted top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga as saying.

Yachi is expected to meet with senior U.S. officials including President Barack Obama's National Security Adviser Susan Rice, said Kyodo.

Yachi also plans to visit Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and India after his U.S. tour, said the report.