Suga departs for Vietnam, Indonesia on 1st overseas trip as PM

Well he looks uncomfortable.

Put your mask on Suga.

He's wearing an Abe suit. Abe got 5 of those in the same colour, too, one for each weekday.

Good for Suga and Phuc. Two freedom-loving nations moving closer, and standing up for rule of law in the region.

Hopefully more and more big Japanese companies will keep relocating their production away from Commie China to Vietnam, and Japan can secure more arms sales there to beef up Vietnams strikepower.

Why no masks?

Has anybody ever seen Suga smiling?

Why’s his wife there, as if he were the Head of State and she the First Lady? That’s the Emperor’s job.

Suga san is in desperate need of a charisma implant.

Suga san wants to smile however the essential striated skeletal muscles have gone on holiday or shopping.

Wear a mask is an option, draw a smile on it .Now that's a sense of humor.

Did he sleep in his suit?

Just about as much charisma as a dried up prune past its sell-by date.

Vietnam? To arrange more cheap labour?

Good news! Suga's first trip is to Asia, not the USA like Abe. Abe went to the USA way too many times.

Why no masks?

Probably still waiting for the Abenomask to arrive in the mail.

He will be sorely disappointed when they finally arrive but are stained.

Under Suga's wisdom and guidance, Japan are going to have stronger relationship with the neighboring countries. Thank you Mr. Prime Minister !!

More ties and relationship building with other countries to exclude the big bully with concentration camps and crushing democracy.

Good, thank you Mr Suga!

Fighto!Today  04:29 pm JST

Hopefully more and more big Japanese companies will keep relocating their production away from Commie China to Vietnam, and Japan can secure more arms sales there to beef up Vietnams strikepower.

You do realize that Viet Nam is a communist nation too, right?

Hopefully more and more big Japanese companies will keep relocating their production away from Commie China to Vietnam,

China is not communist. Authoritarian, for sure. But not communist.

and Japan can secure more arms sales there to beef up Vietnams strikepower.

Because that's exactly what this region needs, armed to the teeth and more aggressive rhetoric.

Sigh.

Hopefully more and more big Japanese companies will keep relocating their production away from Commie China to Vietnam,

China and Vietnam both have communist governments.

@NipporiNick yeah, that’s the point that I was going to make. So for him to say freedom loving nations in terms of one of them being Vietnam, I was going to say no, Vietnam’s Communist too. Good on you for pointing that out as well.

And for all of you who are criticizing Suga’s suit, or even his lack of charisma, it’s like come on guys. That’s not the reason why he’s going on his trip. And the reason why Suga may or may not be a good Prime Minister has nothing to do with his suit or even charisma. Let’s focus on the issues people, let’s focus on the issues.

"The visit comes as China's growing maritime assertiveness is prompting Japan to seek support from like-minded countries in Southeast Asia. Vietnam is one of the claimants in territorial disputes in the South China Sea, while Indonesia's exclusive economic zone overlaps with China's nine-dash line."

OMG, Wrong. Japan should promote peace, not exploit conflicts.

Suga should study the history and geography carefully. Vietnam is much closer to China than to Japan, as simple as that. In fact, Vietnam is always a part of China until recently. No artificial intelligence can tell the differences between Vietnamese and Chinese.

everyone looks trapped

Why is Suga going to Vietnam?

Suga has been briefed on the opportunities for Japan’s companies to dominate Vietnam’s industries as Japan has done in Thailand.

He looks nervous.

He's wearing an Abe suit. Abe got 5 of those in the same colour, too, one for each weekday.

More like a Joker suit from Batman. Appropriate for a PM from the LDP..

"No artificial intelligence can tell the differences between Vietnamese and Chinese". Which only goes to show the limitations of artificial intelligence as humans can, even just visually, often tell the difference. OK, I'm advantaged as I have relatives and friends of both ethnic groups!

Of the three countries Prime Minister Suga is visiting, I would suggest Indonesia is the most "free" from its citizens' point of view. It is not communist, and although primarily a Muslim country, its citizens are free to follow any religion and even to change it (unlike Malaysia for example).

You do realize that Viet Nam is a communist nation too, right?

Good Communists. The USA said such thing when they gave China the MFN status. Thanks to Nixon, of course!

Now, the West is doing the same tactic but pitching Vietnam against China.

Vietnam is much closer to China than to Japan, as simple as that.

Ideologically, yes. Politics, economics and many other aspects, NO!

Vietnam is willing to backstab China if there is a chance. They cleverly used both Russia and the USA pitching against China as the world balancer. Additionally, Vietnam is closer to Japan than China, thanks to Shinzo Abe.

In fact, Vietnam is always a part of China until recently.

Ok, Wumao. China has always been a part of Vietnam for thousands of years, Baiyue clemency. Seriously, China would not need to wage all expensive sea skirmishes against Vietnam if it is a part of China.

Good for Suga and Phuc. Two freedom-loving nations moving closer, and standing up for rule of law in the region.

Getting a little carried away I think. The government of Vietnam is a near clone of that of PRC. Their respective communist parties and governments are organized pretty much identically.  About all that separates them is their mutual emnity. Both are repressive one party police states with no concept of human rights or individual liberty. Vietnam is very far from "freedom loving".

OMG, Wrong. Japan should promote peace, not exploit conflicts.

What good is "peace" if you are nothing but another larger nation's vassal? Pushovers, boot lickers, lackeys, get no respect, just more and more abuse. If you don't stand up to the Chinese they treat you like their slave. They are not nice people. I know that from personal experience. Maybe groveling boot licker is your style, but most nations like their independence and are willing to assert it when threatened.

w

Good Communists. The USA said such thing when they gave China the MFN status. Thanks to Nixon, of course!

Were you even alive then? I was. The received wisdom was that increasing business and social contact with the west would gradually change China and eventually it might democratize. Yes the US was triangulating China against the USSR, and btw it worked to keep a lot of Soviet divisions tied down on the Sino Soviet border instead of arrayed against NATO. I vividly remember their naval delegations in their bright blue Zhongshan suit uniforms being given demonstrations of US equipment on our bases. But the constant drumbeat especially in economic and political circles was that, like Taiwan and South Korea, "engagement" with the west would slowly but surely change them and lead to gradual democratization. And until the second term of Hu Jintao that looked possible. There were serious discussions at the annual People's Congress of permitting private land ownership and there were experiments allowing contested elections for local offices. Schools could even teach about the Cultural Revolution. Now Xi Jinping has reversed all of that and is turning the clock backwards to the days of Mao. He even wears a Zhongshan suit to official events now. Just like the old days.