菅首相、電話会談「時機見て調整」　バイデン氏に祝意、訪米も検討

　菅義偉首相は９日午前、米大統領選で民主党のバイデン前副大統領が当選を確実にしたことについて「心よりお祝い申し上げたい」と祝意を示した。その上で、バイデン氏との電話会談や自身の訪米に関し「今後、タイミングを見て調整していきたい」と語った。首相官邸で記者団の質問に答えた。
　首相は「日米両国は自由、民主主義、普遍的価値観を共有する同盟国だ」と指摘。「日米同盟をさらに強固なものにするため、インド太平洋地域の平和と繁栄を確保していくため、米国とともに取り組んでいきたい」と述べた。
　加藤勝信官房長官は記者会見で「日本政府としてはバイデン候補が大統領選に勝利したと認識をしている」と明言。その上で「日本として引き続きバイデン新政権とも緊密に連携し、日米同盟の強化に努めたい」と語った。（2020/11/09-12:27）

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Monday congratulated Democrat Joe Biden on his victory in the U.S. presidential election.
   "I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations," Suga told reporters at the prime minister's office, adding that he hopes to start arrangements at an appropriate time to have phone talks with Biden and to visit the former U.S. vice president in the United States.
   "Japan and the United States are allies that share liberty, democracy and other universal values," Suga said. "Japan wants to work with the United States to make the bilateral alliance stronger and secure peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region."
   At a press conference on Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said, "The Japanese government recognizes that Mr. Biden won the presidential election," which was held on Tuesday. Biden declared victory on Saturday.
   "Japan will cooperate closely with the new Biden administration and work for a stronger alliance with the United States," Kato said.