Ishiba clears low bar in diplomatic debut

With his first foray abroad this week, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba looked to swipe away any fears of a radical departure from the diplomatic and security trail that was blazed by his predecessor.

Signaling continuity with the policies set by former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ahead of a crucial general election in Japan later this month, Ishiba on Friday wrapped up the second day of his visit to Laos for the key meetings, including the East Asian Summit, which also involved China, South Korea, Russia and the United States.

The flurry of summit meetings over two days also saw Ishiba hold amicable discussions with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, his first in-person meetings as prime minister with both.