Press Releases
The Indo-Pacific Business Forum
January 12, 2023
The Indo-Pacific Business Forum (IPBF) was held on January 12, 2023, co-hosted by the Governments of Japan and the United States, in partnership with Keidanren, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ), the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council and the American Association of the Indo-Pacific (AAIP). Minister Hayashi delivered a video message commemorating the first ever joint Japan-U.S. hosting of the event. An overview is as follows.
- Various government officials as well as private sector representatives took part in lively dicussions relating to themes such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), trade and investment, cooperation in the digital sector, clean energy and climate change, infrastructure investment and supply chains.
- From the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Hayashi delivered a video message thanking all those involved in the IPBF. Minister Hayashi stated at the outset that the pursuit of peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region has been an important mission for Japan’s diplomacy, as underscored by Japan’s efforts to realize a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”. He also expressed his strong hopes for the early return of the U.S. to the TPP, given the objective of maintaining and strengthening a rules-based economic order in the region. Minister Hayashi remarked that Japan also attaches importance to the IPEF and that cooperation with the business sector is indispensable in maximizing the IPEF’s potential.
- Moreover, Mr. Okochi, Deputy Director General of the Economic Affairs Bureau, participated in a discussion session on Japanese and U.S. leadership in their respective G7 and APEC host years.
[Note 1]
[Note 2]
- Video message transcript (English (PDF)
/ Japanese (PDF))
[Note 3]