FM Motegi: Conflicts w/Russia, China Must Be Handled Responsibly

Wires and social media carrying comments from Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stating that the Japanese gov't must handle conflicts w/Russia and China 'responsibly' and seek to retain a 'stable partnership'.

• Also states that Japan will continue to cooperate with the US, other Quad members (Australia, India), Europe and south-east Asian nations to 'realise our vision of an Indo-Pacific that is free and open'.
• Motegi was one of only two ministers retained in their positions by new PM Fumio Kishida. The other was Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi.
• Retaining the two foreign policy-oriented ministers from the Suga cabinet (and in Motegi's case from Shinzo Abe's premiership) will be seen as an attempt by Kishida to portray his stance on military and diplomatic matters as relatively hawkish (like his two immediate predecessors) and not dovish as his previous pronouncements and LDP party faction would suggest.