ASEAN and Japan renewed their commitment to further advance partnership following the 12th Meeting of the ASEAN-Japan Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) held at the ASEAN Secretariat.
The annual JCC meeting is a key mechanism to coordinate and review ASEAN-Japan cooperation. The meeting welcomed substantive progress made in enhancing ASEAN-Japan cooperation over the past year which includes the implementation of measures under the Revised Implementation Plan of the Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.
Both sides agreed to further enhance cooperation in areas of mutual interest, which include those emerging under the 4.0 Industrial Revolution, such as digital trade and e-economy, as well as in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, disaster management, connectivity, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.
The meeting also welcomed the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Dialogue Relations and the activities to commemorate the milestone, which include the issuance of a joint statement of the ASEAN-Japan Summit in November to reaffirm the partnership and set out its future direction. Both sides also welcomed the progress made in the negotiation of the Technical Cooperation Agreement between ASEAN and Japan, and looked forward to its early conclusion.
ASEAN and Japan also exchanged views on recent developments in their respective regions. Japan reaffirmed its continued support for ASEAN unity and ASEAN’s central role in the regional frameworks.
The meeting was co-chaired by Ambassador Pengiran Hjh Faezah Pengiran Haji Abdul Rahman, Permanent Representative of Brunei Darussalam to ASEAN and Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN Kazuo Sunaga. It was attended by the Permanent Representatives of ASEAN Member States and representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat.