Japan to 'strengthen the Quad' and 'coordinate summit' at Trump's inauguration

[Anchor]
Japan is focusing its efforts on strengthening cooperation with the Indo-Pacific Security Cooperation and the Quad with the United States, Australia, and India ahead of the launch of the next Trump administration.

The U.S.-Japan early summit is also working hard, but many Japanese people are skeptical of building trust with the Trump administration, deepening their struggles.

Correspondent Kim Se-ho's report from Tokyo.

[Reporter]
Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, who visited the U.S. to attend Trump's inauguration, went on a diplomatic war to strengthen "quad" cooperation.

I met Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wing first and agreed to continue the Quad's interlayered cooperation in the Trump administration.

In a meeting with India's Foreign Minister Jaishankar, he also emphasized the importance of the Quad and decided to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the field of science and technology.

Foreign Minister Iwaya is expected to attend a quad foreign ministers' meeting after President Trump's inauguration.

[Iwaya Takeshi / Japanese Foreign Minister: It is more than necessary to play a leading role in the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific.]

So far, few foreign ministers have been invited to the inauguration of the U.S. president.

However, this time, Trump invited ministers from some major countries, including Foreign Minister Iwaya.

The Japanese government stresses that the Trump administration has shown that it values relations with Japan.

Foreign Minister Iwaya is also scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of State nominee Mako Rubio, and is expected to coordinate the U.S.-Japan summit.

[Yoshimasa Hayashi / Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary: We wish to raise the level of our alliance by exchanging frank opinions between the leaders of the U.S. and Japan and establishing a strong relationship of trust.]

In a recent poll, 66% of Japanese people said they were negative about building trust with the incoming Trump administration.

In addition, 72 percent are anxious about U.S. priority, according to the survey.

For this reason, the Ishiba government is expected to put more pressure on the tangible outcome of the early summit between the U.S. and Japan.

I'm Kim Se-ho from YTN in Tokyo.