New Japan PM to hold talks on ASEAN sidelines [Video]

Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will hold talks this week on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Laos, a top official said Tuesday, meeting China’s premier among others according to media reports.

Sino-Japan relations have deteriorated in recent years over territorial disputes and military activity, with Ishiba calling for the creation of an Asian NATO.

Ishiba will visit Laos from Thursday through Saturday “to attend ASEAN-related summits”, deputy chief cabinet secretary Keiichiro Tachibana said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc.

On the sidelines of the multilateral meetings, Ishiba plans to have bilateral summits which are still being coordinated, Tachibana told reporters.

Media reports said these will include talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese of Australia.

“ASEAN-related summits are important forums where major countries in the Indo-Pacific region gather,” Tachibana said.

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