Press Conference by the Prime Minister regarding His Visit to India and Cambodia

(On the Prime Minister’s visit to India and Cambodia)

As my first bilateral trip since taking office as prime minister, I will visit India and Cambodia. First, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is an outrageous act violating international law, and we must never allow unilateral changes to the status quo in the Indo-Pacific region. In order to prevent that, I consider it important to have unity among the international community. During this visit, I would like to sit down with my two counterparts face to face and exchange views with them and unequivocally confirm the unity of the international community as a whole. In addition, I would like to confirm with Prime Minister Modi our cooperation towards the success of the Quad summit meeting to be held in Tokyo sometime in the next few months among the leaders of Japan, the United States, Australia, and India, as well as towards the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

With Prime Minister HUN Sen of Cambodia, this year Cambodia is serving as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and I wish to discuss regional issues including Myanmar and also our bilateral relations. Also, this year we mark the 30^th anniversary since Japan’s participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations (PKO) in Cambodia. Next year, we will celebrate 70^th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Cambodia. With these anniversary years before us, I also wish to confirm with Cambodia, the ASEAN Chair, our cooperation in the international arena.

(On the Prime Minister’s aims in visiting India at this timing; on what outcomes could emerge from the summit talks regarding the Ukraine situation)

As for making this trip at this timing, as my first destination for a bilateral visit after taking office, we decided on this schedule because of my desire to have a thorough exchange of views with Prime Minister Modi of India, a key member of the Quad that is also an Asian power, and confirm with him our cooperation towards the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Also, in light of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine taking place at this juncture, to go beyond emphasizing the importance of unity among the international community as a whole as this situation unfolds, I wish to confirm that we will continue to cooperate with India as Japan engages with various issues.