Japan and Laos have pledged to work together in dealing with regional and international challenges, with the Southeast Asian country set to hold the rotating ASEAN presidency next year.
During a meeting with Lao Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith in Tokyo on Friday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he hopes the two nations will collaborate to elevate their "strategic partnership to new heights," according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
Kishida added they should seize the opportunities of a special summit meeting between Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations scheduled for mid-December in Tokyo and the 70th anniversary of the Japan-Laos diplomatic ties' establishment in 2025, the ministry said.