Takaichi Eager to Deepen Ties with Vietnam, Australia

Tokyo, April 28 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, during her upcoming five-day trip to Vietnam and Australia, hopes to further boost cooperation with the two nations in the security and economic security fields amid China's growing military and economic coercion.

During planned bilateral summits, Takaichi and leaders of Vietnam and Australia are also expected to discuss the tense situation in the Middle East.

Japan and Australia are preparing to issue a joint statement highlighting stronger bilateral economic security cooperation.

Takaichi will leave Japan on Friday and arrive in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, later in the day. On Saturday, she will hold separate talks with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and president of the country, and Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.

The Japanese and Vietnamese sides may discuss Japan's arms exports, following Tokyo's recent revision to the implementation guidelines for the country's three principles on defense equipment transfer.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]