Suga considering October visit to Vietnam, Indonesia

Maybe Vietnam can show Japan why they haven't had as big a problem as Japan when it comes to the virus.

"...We would like to strategically and steadily promote the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific by working with partners sharing the same values," he told a press conference.

Flawed argument. If you "working with partners sharing the same values", then there is nothing left for a free and open Indo-Pacific".

There are three things going to be likely discussed.

Indo-Pacific alliance = QUAD plus where Vietnam also has a membership

Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Japan = the highest level of relationship that the Vietnamese government can provide.

Japan desperately needs more Vietnamese blue colar and white collar workers. This time, we will see a steady rise of white collar workers from Vietnam to Japan.

I wonder if there is any real benefit to visit and meet face to face during a pandemic. Sure, they probably have some trade deals to talk about, but I assume that its more likely a case of Suga thinking: "I'm PM now, I should probably travel and visit some foreign countries because thats whats leaders do."

Kumagaijin said " I wonder if there is any real benefit to visit and meet face to face during a pandemic. "

True. Suga is coward. he has no courage to visit China. He is terrified by his boss, hint: not majority Japanese people.

Only China can bring prosperity, happiness and peace to Japan in the future, as in the past 3000 years. No one can change the fate.

From a political perspective, Vietnam and Indonesia make perfect senesce. Vietnam is communist but, in regards to communist nations, fairly liberal. Indonesia is a full fledged democracy and the largest economy in Southeast Asia.

@Kumagaijin

I wonder if there is any real benefit to visit and meet face to face during a pandemic. Sure, they probably have some trade deals to talk about, but I assume that its more likely a case of Suga thinking: "I'm PM now, I should probably travel and visit some foreign countries because thats whats leaders do."

Yes, that is a very good point, about “what leaders do”. but one, he did just become leader and he needs to get his feet wet as we are, in more ways than one. So that would explain why he wants to make these trips, even further.

And two, as you and some other commenters have said, there is some legit business going on during these trips, and more than just with trade deals as well.

Maybe Vietnam can show Japan why they haven't had as big a problem as Japan when it comes to the virus.

Its rather simple, they didn't let in any foreigne tourist from Europe and America. By the way, the west can learn from Japan. Japan has only 1500 deaths, how about Europe and America?