石破首相、ＡＳＥＡＮ会議出席へ　１０日からラオス訪問

　政府は８日、石破茂首相が１０～１２日の日程でラオスの首都ビエンチャンを訪問し、東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）関連首脳会議に出席すると発表した。今月１日に就任した首相にとって対面での首脳外交デビューとなる。
　１０日は日ＡＳＥＡＮやＡＳＥＡＮプラス３（日中韓）の首脳会議、１１日は東アジアサミット（ＥＡＳ）に参加。自由で開かれたインド太平洋の実現に向けた協力を確認する。
　橘慶一郎官房副長官は８日の記者会見で「インド太平洋地域の主要国が集う重要なフォーラムだ」と出席の意義を説明した。
　首相はまた、１１日に日本主導で脱炭素化を進める「アジア・ゼロエミッション共同体（ＡＺＥＣ）」の第２回首脳会合を開催。今後１０年間の行動計画の合意を目指す。（2024/10/08-11:15）

Japan's new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will make his diplomatic debut with a three-day visit to Vientiane, Laos, from Thursday to attend summits related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Japanese government said Tuesday.
   Ishiba, who took office Oct. 1, will meet foreign counterparts in person for the first time Thursday at a meeting with the 10-member ASEAN and a meeting of the ASEAN Plus Three framework which also includes China and South Korea.
   On Friday, he will attend a meeting of the East Asia Summit framework, participated also by the United States, Russia and other countries.
   At the meetings, the prime minister is expected to confirm cooperation for achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
   At a press conference Tuesday, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Keiichiro Tachibana emphasized the significance of the prime minister attending the summits, saying, "They are important forums where major countries in the Indo-Pacific gather."