岩屋外相、米大統領就任式に出席明言　首脳会談へ地ならし

　岩屋毅外相は１２日のＮＨＫ番組で、トランプ氏の米大統領就任式に出席するため訪米すると明言した。「（２０日の）就任式に招待があったので参加する」と述べた。滞在中、国務長官に指名されたルビオ上院議員らとの会談を目指し、「首脳会談に向け地ならしをしっかりしていきたい」と語った。
　岩屋氏は７日、トランプ氏と先月面会したソフトバンクグループの孫正義会長兼社長と会食した。孫氏から「ストレートな方なので回りくどい話をせず、日米関係の重要課題について端的に伝えればよいのではないか」と助言を受けたと明かした。
　一方、石破茂首相は１２日放送のＢＳテレ東番組で、トランプ氏との会談について「なるべく早いタイミング」と述べ、重ねて意欲を示した。同時に「（トランプ政権の）人事、政策がある程度明らかになってきた時期の方が日本の国益にかなう」と語った。番組は事前に収録された。（2025/01/12-11:33）

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said in a television program Sunday that he will visit the United States to attend the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20.
   "We've received an invitation to the inauguration ceremony and I will be there," the foreign minister said in the program of public broadcaster Japan Broadcasting Corp., or NHK.
   During his stay in the United States, Iwaya intends to hold talks with Sen. Marco Rubio, nominated by Trump for secretary of state. "I hope to lay the groundwork for a summit meeting" between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Trump, Iwaya said.
   On Tuesday, Iwaya had dinner with SoftBank Group Corp. CEO Masayoshi Son, who met with Trump last month. The foreign minister revealed that Son advised him not to go into roundabouts when talking to Trump, as the president-elect is a straightforward person, and that he should simply convey the key issues in Japan-U.S. relations.
   Meanwhile, Ishiba, in a BS TV Tokyo Corp. program broadcast Sunday, reiterated his desire to meet with Trump "at the earliest possible time." At the same time, the prime minister said, "It would be more in Japan's national interest (if the summit talks are held) after the personnel and policies (of the Trump administration) are clarified to some extent." The program was pre-recorded.