Japan agrees to hold summit with ASEAN next year

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - A special ASEAN-Japan summitwould be held in 2023 to discuss in-depth regional and international issues, MalaysianPrime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has said.

The PM saidhe had suggested the event to his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in theirmeeting in Tokyo on May 27, according to the news agency Bernama. 

He said that Japan should make an engagement not only withMalaysia but ASEAN; and Kishida agreed to hold the summit next year.

Ismail Sabri said he also told Kishida that Malaysia wouldnot compromise on any form of threat to its sovereignty in the East Sea.

In handling the complex issue of the waters and involvinginter-state relations, all related countries must remain committed tomaintaining the freedom of navigation there, he said./.

VNA