Japan's PM Shigeru Ishiba to Discuss ASEAN Relations in Laos
- Shigeru Ishiba will visit Laos to attend the ASEAN summit from Thursday to Saturday.
- He plans to hold bilateral talks with leaders from China, South Korea, India, and Australia, while participating in significant multilateral meetings.
- The visit aims to strengthen Japan-ASEAN cooperation, although the Asia Zero Emission Community initiative has faced criticism for its focus on fossil fuel technologies.
Laos will host Japan's new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba this week during the ASEAN summit, where he aims to strengthen Japan's ties with ASEAN nations. Ishiba's visit, scheduled from Thursday to Saturday, includes bilateral talks with leaders from China, South Korea, India, and Australia, amidst ongoing tensions in Sino-Japan relations due to territorial disputes. The Prime Minister will also participate in significant multilateral meetings, including the ASEAN Plus Three summit and the East Asia Summit, which involve major Indo-Pacific countries. Additionally, Ishiba will host the second Asia Zero Emission Community summit, focusing on carbon-free economic growth and energy security, a continuation of initiatives started by his predecessor. However, critics argue that the AZEC initiative may primarily benefit Japan's fossil fuel technology sector rather than genuinely promoting decarbonization in Asia, as evidenced by recent research highlighting the prevalence of fossil fuel-related agreements under AZEC.