Since taking office a month ago, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has held a marathon of teleconferences with world leaders and met face-to-face with high-ranking foreign government officials, eager to shake off criticism that he is a diplomatic novice and doubts over whether he can continue the legacy of his predecessor, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Now set to embark on his first foreign visit, heading to Vietnam and Indonesia from Sunday, the prime minister is facing yet another crucial stress test, this time on the global stage.
By picking two prominent members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as his destinations, Suga is demonstrating Tokyo’s resolve to counter an assertive Beijing through Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) policy, and economic and national security cooperation with the region.