TOKYO — 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 con