Japan’s Ishiba heads to Malaysia and Indonesia to strengthen defense and economic ties

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Thursday began a trip to Malaysia and Indonesia as part of an effort to strengthen defense and economic ties with Southeast Asia as China’s threats grow in the region.

The visit, his first for bilateral talks outside of international meetings, shows Japan’s commitment to further those ties even as the U.S. presence in the region may decrease after President-elect Donald Trump takes office later this month.

Malaysia and Indonesia are maritime regional powers near vital shipping lanes and are key to Japanese and global security and the economy, and they share concerns over China’s increasing assertiveness, officials say.

Ishiba, who will meet Friday with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, hopes to strengthen security cooperation and discuss efforts to ensure stable supply chains with Malaysia, which is chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year.

On Saturday, Ishiba and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will reportedly sign a deal for Japan’s provision of high-speed patrol boats. Talks between the two leaders, who are both former defense ministers, are expected to focus on military cooperation and arms transfers.