JAPANESE Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba arrived in Vietnam on Sunday, kicking off a four-day trip that will also take him to the Philippines to boost security and economic ties with the Southeast Asian countries.
It is Ishiba’s third visit to Southeast Asia since taking office in October. “We hope to further strengthen security cooperation” with the two Southeast Asian countries, Ishiba told reporters before departing Haneda airport in Tokyo. Noting that tariffs would have a “large impact” on the economies of both Vietnam and the Philippines, Ishiba also said he plans to hear from Japanese companies operating in the two countries so he can address their concerns and opinions through government policies.
Later Sunday in Hanoi, Ishiba is slated to hold a meeting with Vietnamese leader To Lam, who is general secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party. He will also meet Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Monday. — Kyodo#
TheGlobalNewLightOfMyanmar