概算要求７９６１億円　ＮＡＴＯ代表部を独立化―外務省

　外務省は２３日、自民党外交部会などの合同会議に２０２３年度予算の概算要求を提示、了承された。総額は２２年度当初比１５．３％増の７９６１億円。在ベルギー大使館が兼ねる北大西洋条約機構（ＮＡＴＯ）政府代表部を独立させ、専任の大使を置く。
　岸田文雄首相は６月、ＮＡＴＯ首脳会議に日本の首相として初出席。連携強化の方針を打ち出している。（2022/08/23-15:43）

The Foreign Ministry on Tuesday showed politicians a planned fiscal 2023 budget request of 796.1 billion yen including expenses to make Japan's mission to NATO an independent body with its own ambassador.
   The budget request was presented at a joint meeting of Liberal Democratic Party groups including the Foreign Affairs Division and was approved. The requested amount is up 15.3 pct from the level in the fiscal 2022 initial budget.
   Currently, the embassy in Belgium serves as the mission to NATO. The ambassador to Belgium doubles as ambassador at the mission.
   Japan has set out a policy of strengthening its ties with NATO. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attended a NATO summit in June for the first time as a sitting Japanese prime minister.
   The budget request also includes 30 million yen to conduct research on economic coercion amid China's drive to increase its influence over developing countries by leveraging its economic power.