Hashimoto to visit ASEAN members

Hashimoto to visit ASEAN members

TOKYO (Reuter): Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto will
visit five ASEAN members next month, the government said
yesterday.

Hashimoto would visit Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and
Singapore from Jan. 7-15 to discuss bilateral and international
affairs with their leaders, government spokesman Seiroku Kajiyama
told a news conference.

ASEAN, which also includes Thailand and the Philippines, marks
the 30th anniversary of its founding next year.

At a summit meeting in Jakarta last week, ASEAN said observer
nations Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia would be granted full
membership simultaneously.