Just 11 months into office, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has visited all 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as Japan seeks to further cement its strategic ties with the region at a time when relations with China remain sour.

But some Japanese pundits are skeptical as to whether Japan's policy of engaging with as many members of ASEAN as possible will bear fruit.

Wrapping up a trip to Cambodia and Laos on Sunday, Abe exuded optimism at a press conference in Vientiane, where he stated that his face-to-face talks with all 10 ASEAN leaders since he took office last December have strengthened mutual trust and given them room to discuss various issues.