Tokyo, April 28 -- Japanese media on April 27 extensively covered Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru's visit to Vietnam and the Philippines, saying he expressed his desire to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian partners and affirmed the importance of maintaining a multilateral free trade system.

Mainichi newspaper reported that Prime Minister Ishiba landed in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, on April 27 and held a meeting with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam, the nation's top leader.

NHK reported that during a meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on April 28, Ishiba is expected to exchange views on issues such as the impact of US tariffs.

According to Mainichi, in response to the tari...