石破首相、東南アジア２カ国訪問へ　年明け、訪韓は延期

　石破茂首相は来年１月上旬にインドネシア、マレーシア両国を訪問する方向で調整に入った。いずれも東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）加盟国で「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したい考え。複数の日本政府関係者が９日明らかにした。
　当初予定していた年明けの韓国訪問は、尹錫悦大統領の「非常戒厳」宣言による同国内の政治混乱を受けて延期する。（2024/12/09-15:24）

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is considering visiting Indonesia and Malaysia in early January, government sources said Monday.
   By visiting the two countries, which are both members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the prime minister apparently aims to confirm cooperation to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
   Meanwhile, Ishiba will postpone his planned visit to South Korea early next year due to political turmoil in the country since South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's temporary declaration of emergency martial law last week.
   In Indonesia, a core ASEAN member, Ishiba will meet President Prabowo Subianto, who took office in October this year. The Japanese government has decided to support Indonesia via its official security assistance framework to provide defense goods to like-minded countries, aiming to boost cooperation in the security field with the Southeast Asian country.
   In Malaysia, which will assume the ASEAN chairmanship next year, Ishiba is seen confirming cooperation with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim toward summit meetings linked to ASEAN, expected in October next year.