[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will visit Vietnam and Indonesia next week. This will be his first overseas trip since taking office last month.
According to NHK and other sources on the 13th, Prime Minister Suga announced at the Liberal Democratic Party board meeting that he will visit Vietnam and Indonesia for four days starting from the 18th of this month. He is coordinating his schedule to hold talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Indonesian President Joko Widodo during his visits to the two countries.
Regarding the situation in the South China Sea, where China is actively involved, Prime Minister Suga plans to propose joint responses with these countries. He stated, "The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is located at the center of the Indo-Pacific region and is the key to realizing a 'free and open Indo-Pacific.' I want to show that Japan is leading efforts to contribute to peace and prosperity in this region."
Vietnam is serving as the ASEAN chair this year. Indonesia has the largest population among ASEAN member countries and hosts the ASEAN Secretariat. The Japanese government appears to have scheduled the overseas trip considering that the COVID-19 situation is more stable there compared to the United States or Europe.
Previously, after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office for his second term in 2012, he also chose Vietnam and Indonesia as his first overseas destinations.
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