WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will lead a trade mission to Singapore and Japan later this month, the government said Monday in a statement.

       The statement said that the prime minister, who will be accompanied by Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor and 13 business leaders, is making the visit to reconnect with two of its closest Indo-Pacific economic and security partners.

       "We must continue to reconnect with the world and I look forward to supporting our businesses across a range of sectors, and seeing my political counterparts in person,” Ardern said in a statement.

       (Reporting by Lucy Craymer; editing by Diane Craft)