Press Releases
Courtesy call on Foreign Minister Kamikawa by the ASEAN Committee in Tokyo (ACT)
October 19, 2023
On October 19, 2023, commencing at noon for approximately 30 minutes, Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, received a courtesy call by the ASEAN Committee in Tokyo (ACT). The overview of the meeting is as follows.
- Minister Kamikawa stated that this was a valuable opportunity to exchange views with ACT members as she saw value in the outreach diplomacy in Japan. She mentioned that this year marks the historic 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, and touched on her last week’s visit to four ASEAN countries in the lead up to the Commemorative Summit in December. She also explained that the visit had reminded her that Japan and the ASEAN are true friends with "heart to heart" relations, and that she once again felt the importance of aligning FOIP and AOIP (ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific), supporting connectivity, cooperating in new areas such as GX, DX, and countermeasures against infectious diseases, as well as in science and technology, promoting the mainstreaming of women, peace, and security, WPS, and people-to-people exchanges.
In response, the ACT members expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to exchange views and also their congratulations on Minister Kamikawa’s new appointment. Especially, female Ambassadors welcomed her appointment as very encouraging one. The ACT Members also praised the Minister's early visit to Southeast Asia and her efforts to strengthen relations with other countries. - Furthermore, Minister Kamikawa expressed the Japanese Government’s will to jointly set out a new vision for cooperation at the Commemorative Summit in December, building on the progress made to date. She also stated that Japan would like to send a message worldwide that Japan and ASEAN are trusted partners and together build a free and open international order based on the rule of law, and a sustainable and prosperous future for the Indo-Pacific and the world.
In response, the ACT members spoke highly of the cooperation between Japan and ASEAN to date, including Japan’s support for ASEAN centrality and unity. They also expressed their high expectations that Japan-ASEAN relations and bilateral relations will be further strengthened in a wide range of areas on the occasion of the Commemorative Summit in December. - Both sides reaffirmed that Japan and ASEAN will work closely in preparing substantial contents for the Summit so that posterity will see this year as "Golden Opportunity" to pass on "Golden Friendship" between Japan and ASEAN to the next generation.
Also, Minister Kamikawa took this opportunity to reiterate Japan’s position on the ALPS treated water.