*1 Initiative for Development in East Asia ( IDEA )

During his visit to Southeast Asia in January 2002, Prime Minister Koizumi proposed that a spirit of "walk together, advance together" be embodied in the development field. With the basic objective to promote economic partnerships and regional cooperation with the East Asian region, the goal is for Japan and the East Asian countries to have a shared awareness concerning the current circumstances of the development issues facing the East Asian region and to explore the path that should be taken for future regional development cooperation.