Japan’s Suga to focus on security as he visits Vietnam, Indonesia

Japan’s new leader will aim to beef up security ties when he visits Vietnam and Indonesia next week amid concerns about Beijing’s growing assertiveness, but he is likely to steer clear of the harsh anti-China rhetoric used by officials in the United States. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who has little diplomatic experience, will follow in predecessor Shinzo Abe’s footsteps by making the two Southeast Asian nations the destination for his first overseas trip since taking office in September. “I think it is important to show … we put more emphasis and importance on that region and we are interested in the security situation, especially in the South China Sea,” said former diplomat Kunihiko Miyake, a special adviser to Suga. Suga will visit Vietnam, current chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and Indonesia, its biggest economy, on a four-day trip which begins on Sunday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato announced on Friday. Japan must balance its deep economic ties with China with security concerns, including Beijing’s push to assert claims over disputed islands in the East China Sea. Abe oversaw an improvement in ties, but some ruling party MPs want a tougher stance. style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; left: 0;">