石破首相、１月訪米見送りへ　トランプ氏就任後で調整

　石破茂首相は来年１月中旬に検討していたトランプ次期大統領との会談のための米国訪問を見送る方向で最終調整に入った。同月２０日のトランプ氏の大統領就任後、早ければ２月に訪米する方向で米側と再調整を進める。複数の日本政府関係者が３０日明らかにした。
　政府高官は「大統領就任後に会談した方がいいと首相が判断した」と明言した。首相は２８日のテレビ番組で、１月中旬を探る姿勢を示しつつ、「政権が発足してから詰めて話すことにも意義がある。早ければいいとは思わない」と語っていた。（2024/12/31-00:05）

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is expected to skip a visit to the United States in January, Japanese government sources said Monday.
   Ishiba was considering visiting the United States in mid-January to meet with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. But he will now coordinate with the U.S. side to visit the country as early as February, after Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, the sources said.
   "The prime minister has come to the conclusion that it is better to meet (with Trump) after the president takes office," a senior government official said.
   Ishiba, speaking on television Saturday, reiterated his intention to arrange a U.S. visit in January, but added that it would also make sense for him to hold talks with Trump after the launch of the new U.S. administration. "I don't necessarily think that an earlier meeting is better," he said.
   Ishiba originally sought to meet with Trump during his visit to South America in November, but the Trump side declined to meet at the time, citing a U.S. law that prohibits private citizens from engaging in diplomatic negotiations.