By ANRI TAKAHASHI/ Staff Writer
December 17, 2023 at 18:40 JST
The leaders of Japan and ASEAN member nations attend a summit meeting in Tokyo on Dec. 17. (Pool)
Japan and ASEAN agreed to strengthen cooperation in maritime security, citing the principle of rule of law, a barb aimed at China as it continues to make inroads in the region.
A special summit meeting held on Dec. 17 to mark the 50th anniversary of friendship and cooperation between Japan and ASEAN concluded with a joint vision statement titled “Partners of Trust.”
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with the leaders of nine ASEAN member nations as well as East Timor, which is scheduled to join the association. Myanmar did not attend the summit.
At a news conference following the meeting, Kishida said, “As the world faces a complex set of crises due to deepening division and confrontation, Japan will face that situation together with ASEAN, which plays a key role in a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the co-chair of the summit meeting, also attended the joint news conference where he thanked Japan for the support it provided to ASEAN members.
The joint statement said the two sides would seek a world that maintained such principles as democracy, rule of law, good governance and respect for and protection of human rights and fundamental freedom.
While not naming China outright, the statement said further moves would be made to promote an Indo-Pacific region that was based on freedom and open rules.
To strengthen cooperation in maritime security, Japan will cooperate to further develop capabilities in coastal patrols as well as in defense equipment and technology.
The joint statement also touched upon further cooperation in economic support and exchanges between the peoples of the two sides.
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