菅首相、日米豪印会議へ出発　定期開催働き掛けへ

　菅義偉首相は２３日午後、米ワシントンに向け、政府専用機で羽田空港を出発した。現地時間の２４日に開かれる日米、オーストラリア、インドの４カ国（通称クアッド）首脳会議に出席。首相は首脳会議の定期開催を各国に働き掛け、台頭する中国をにらんだ４カ国の連携を強固にしたい考えだ。
　首相は今回の訪米の目的に関し「４カ国の間で（新型コロナウイルス）ワクチン、新しい技術、気候変動という重要な課題についてそれぞれ会合し、『自由で開かれたインド太平洋』の具体化の道を探っていく」と述べた。出発に先立ち、羽田空港で記者団の質問に答えた。（2021/09/23-17:46）

Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga left for the United States on Thursday to attend the first in-person summit among the "Quad" nations of the United States, Japan, Australia and India to be held in Washington on Friday.
   A government jet carrying Suga departed from Tokyo International Airport at Haneda.
   The prime minister plans to make a proposal to other leaders to hold a Quad summit on a regular basis so as to strengthen the four countries' cooperation in the face of China's rise.
   Ahead of his departure, Suga told reporters that he plans to have four-way discussions on the key issues of coronavirus vaccines, new technologies and climate change. "We'll explore ways to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific," the prime minister added.
   Suga is expected to leave office on Oct. 4, when Japan's parliament is set to elect a new prime minister.