Interviews & Articles

As this year marks historic milestones such as the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN Community, the adoption of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the East Asia Summit (EAS), I am delighted to participate in the ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meetings here in Malaysia. Japan supports the theme of “'Inclusivity and Sustainability” put forward by Malaysia, as the ASEAN Chair.

The international community is becoming more divided and confrontational, and the security environment is growing more severe. Against this backdrop, ASEAN, located at the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin, is playing an increasingly important role in ensuring peace and prosperity throughout the entire region. As a “Trusted Partner” with “heart-to-heart” ties, Japan has long developed its relationship with ASEAN countries across a wide range of areas. I am very pleased and honored that Japan has been selected as Southeast Asia’s most trusted partner for seven consecutive years since the inception of the State of Southeast Asia, a prominent public opinion survey report on ASEAN. Strengthening relationship with ASEAN is a top diplomatic focus for Japan. The Ishiba administration’s basic policy is to listen to the voices of Asia and act together to solve various issues.

Japan fully supports ASEAN’s goal of realizing a “resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centered ASEAN Community” as outlined in the ASEAN Community Vision 2045. Japan is committed to backing further integration of ASEAN based on this vision as one of its top priorities. In particular, we wish to foster collaboration with ASEAN, which is a center of worldwide growth, in emerging fields such as Green Transformation (GX) and Digital Transformation (DX), and to pave the way for a vibrant future together. As part of these efforts, we will promote cooperation to simultaneously achieve decarbonization, economic growth, and energy security through the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) platform. Moreover, many countries have suffered significant economic losses due to organized fraud originating in Southeast Asia. We will work together with ASEAN countries to address these common challenges.

The international community is experiencing significant turmoil, including the situation in the Middle East and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. In Asia as well, the security environment is becoming increasingly severe and complex, given by North Korea’s nuclear and missile development and attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. Unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion must not be tolerated anywhere in the world. It is essential to uphold freedom and the rule of law and to respect diversity, inclusiveness, and openness. I am greatly encouraged by the fact that the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) shares core principles of openness, transparency, inclusiveness, and a rules-based framework with the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP). Japan will continue its pursuit to mainstream the AOIP.

The situation surrounding Gaza remains unsettled. Continued diplomatic efforts and further assistance from the international community are urgently needed. In this context, Japan, together with Palestine and Malaysia, will organize the Ministerial Meeting of the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD). We express our respect and gratitude for Malaysia’s initiative to co-host the meeting. In response to the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and the need for early recovery and reconstruction, we will discuss measures to support Palestine by drawing on the resources and economic development expertise of East Asian countries.

These endeavors are underpinned by the close people-to-people ties between Japan and Malaysia. In January, Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru made his first bilateral visit to Malaysia after taking office and agreed with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to deepen cooperation in four areas: security, economy, disaster management, and human resource development. Additionally, former Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and members of the Parliamentary Association of AZEC, who are dedicated to promoting decarbonization and energy transition in Southeast Asia, visited Malaysia in May.

Japan remains committed to deepening bilateral cooperation with Malaysia as a Comprehensive and Strategic Partner across a broad spectrum of fields, including security and the economy.