上川外相、東南アジア４カ国訪問へ　特別首脳会議に向け連携確認

　上川陽子外相は６日の記者会見で、ブルネイ、ベトナム、ラオス、タイの東南アジア４カ国を８日から１３日までの日程で訪問すると発表した。１２月に東京で開催する日本と東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）の特別首脳会議に向け、各国外相と協力を確認する。
　ＡＳＥＡＮには、南シナ海などでの中国の海洋進出に警戒感がある。上川氏は「法の支配に基づく自由で開かれた国際秩序の維持・強化に向けた連携を改めて確認する」と説明した。（2023/10/06-13:01）

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said Friday that she will visit Brunei, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand from Sunday to Friday.
   Kamikawa hopes to reaffirm cooperation with her counterparts from the four members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on various areas, from economy to security, to smooth the way for a special summit of Japan and ASEAN to be held in Tokyo in December.
   The second overseas trip for Kamikawa since she took office last month is intended to demonstrate Japan's attention on so-called Global South developing countries and to increase the new foreign minister's presence ahead of the special summit.
   While ASEAN is wary of China's maritime ambitions in the South China Sea, Kamikawa told a press conference that she hopes her visit will "reaffirm cooperation to maintain and strengthen the free and open international order based on the rule of law."