New Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide is scheduled to visit both Vietnam and Indonesia in mid-October, with a final decision on the order of events set to be made on the basis of the current novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation.

New Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide (Photo:VNA)

This comes after PM Yoshihide's predecessor, Shinzo Abe, also chose Vietnam as the location for his first  oversea trip when he took office in 2012.Since taking up the position, PM Yoshihide has engaged in a number of phone conversations with top global leaders, including those from the United States, Russia, and China to discuss the enhancement of bilateral and multilateral relations.

It is likely that the country will be chosen as the first nation for the Japanese PM’s trip to Southeast Asia, followed by Indonesia, due to the successfully containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At present, the nation is serving as the rotatory Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), whilst Indonesia is the country with the largest population in ASEAN, in addition to being a member of the G20.

With the final decision set to be made in the coming days, PM Yoshihide will schedule talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the President of Indonesia.

The visit aims to promote relations among ASEAN member states for the sake of regional peace and stability, especially in the context of growing tensions between the US and China in the East Sea, known internationally as the South China Sea, in addition to strengthening bilateral relations with other countries.

Furthermore, PM Yoshihide's visit to Vietnam and Indonesia immediately after taking office also demonstrates his promise to follow the legacy of his predecessor Shinzo Abe, especially in terms of foreign policy.