KUALA LUMPUR: Japan stands ready to intensify its strategic partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in bolstering stability, security and growth in the region as well as across the Indo-Pacific.
Masahiko Kiya, ambassador of Mission of Japan to Asean, said as an equal and close partner over the past five decades, it is pertinent for both sides to further leverage on their close ties and strengths to expedite their cooperation for mutual benefits.
He noted that more importantly, it is timely for Japan and Asean to take joint leadership to address emerging cross-cutting global issues such as energy and food security, digitalisation and economy, climate change and decarbonisation, public health, and disaster management.
“Asean and Japan can take joint leadership in broadening cooperation not only within Asean and Japan, but across the Indo Pacific and beyond amidst these emerging global challenges,” he told Bernama in an online interview from his office in Jakarta, Indonesia.
He is optimistic that with Japan’s distinct advantage in advance technology development, together with Asean’s strength in its population of 670 million and as a vibrant epicentre of global growth among others, they would contribute towards building a more prosperous region.
This year, Japan and Asean commemorate the 50th Year of Asean-Japan Friendship and Cooperation under the theme ‘Golden Friendship, Golden Opportunities’.
Japan was the first country in the world to partner with Asean when they established their relationship in 1973. The ties were cemented with the First Asean -Japan Summit held in Kuala Lumpur in 1977, and continues to be built on trust, respect and commitment ever since.
Asean, formed in 1967, today comprises 10 member states: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Meanwhile, Kiya also underscored Japan’s commitment to support the mainstreaming of the Asean Outlook on Indo Pacific (AOIP) to enhance peace and international order based on the rule of law in the Indo Pacific.
Japan believes this can be achieved through concrete cooperation projects in four priority areas, namely maritime cooperation, connectivity, SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), economic and other possible areas of cooperation.
It is the first dialogue partner that has issued a joint statement on the cooperation between its Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) and the AOIP.
Japan’s new plan for its FOIP announced in March this year has identified Southeast Asia as a region of importance.
Towards this end, Japan also announced a new contribution of US$100 million to the Japan- Asean Integration Fund (JAIF) which has been supporting Asean countries in their efforts towards regional integration and community building.
“We believe that a strong Asean is not only good for Japan, but also to the region and the world. I think Asean is ready to take the lead and Japan is in the best position to work as a partner to realise Asean’s ambition and aspiration,” he said.
On economy, Kiya said Japan remains steadfast to support Asean economic growth with focus on innovation, start-ups, infrastructure development, green technology and decarbonisation.
“Japan would like to co-create innovation and sustainable business environment with the Asean countries,” he said, adding that this could be amplified by upholding of free and fair economic rules.
In 2022, Japan was Asean’s fourth largest trading partner with a total two-way trade valued at US$268 billion, accounting for around 7 per cent of Asean’s overall trade figures.
Besides, Japan was also the second largest external source of foreign direct investment (FDI) for Asean in 2022, with a total investment of US$26.7 billion.
Japan and Asean will mark this important milestone in their bilateral relations with the Commemorative Summit in Tokyo in December.
Kiya said the Commemorative Summit is particularly special as the leaders would lay out a new vision for the direction of Asean-Japan relations and cooperation that cover broad areas in the coming years.
The renewal of the Comprehensive Japan Asean Connectivity Initiative which promotes efforts to strengthen hard and soft connectivity is also expected to be unveiled this year.
It is also highly expected that both sides will announce to establish their ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) at the annual Summit in September. – BERNAMA
