ASEAN, Japan Affirm Commitment to Further Strengthen Cooperation

Jakarta: Senior Officials from ASEAN and Japan reaffirmed commitment to further strengthen cooperation and advance their partnership towards the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-Japan relations next year. 
 
The Senior Officials met at the 37th ASEAN-Japan Forum held this week via videoconference. 
 
The meeting took note of the substantive progress made in ASEAN-Japan cooperation over the past one year in the four pillars of peace and stability, prosperity, quality of life, and heart-to-heart partnerships.

"Notably, 100% of the action lines in the Revised Implementation Plan of the 2013 Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation have been addressed, with many activities conducted across all areas of cooperation," the ASEAN Secretariat said in a press release on Tuesday.
 
ASEAN welcomed Japan’s support to ASEAN Community building efforts, and in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, including Japan’s substantial contribution for the establishment of the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases Centre.
 
ASEAN and Japan  underlined the need to enhance cooperation on peace and stability, trade and connectivity, health security, digital transformation, smart cities, environment protection, sustainable development and resilience, and people-to-people exchange.
 
Both sides also agreed to strengthen practical cooperation in the key areas of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), in line with the Joint Statement of the 23rd ASEAN-Japan Summit on Cooperation on the AOIP.
 
The two sides agreed on the designation of 2023 as the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, with a series of events to be conducted by both sides throughout the year.
 
A commemorative summit is expected to be held in December 2023. 
 
Preparation to celebrate the milestone year has begun with a Logo Design and Catchphrase Contest being organised, which has received hundreds of entries from ASEAN Member States and Japan.
 
The Senior Officials also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest and concern. 
 
The Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Ministry of Thailand Thani Thongphakdi and Senior Deputy Foreign Minister of Japan Yamada Shigeo, co-chaired the meeting. 
 
It was attended by Senior Officers of ASEAN Member States, as well as representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat. 

 
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