Press Releases
The 11th East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
On August 4, commencing at 8:00 p.m. for 2 hours and 30 minutes, the East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Chair: Dato Seri Setia Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II, Brunei Darussalam) was held in an online format. Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, attended the meeting. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
Response to COVID-19
Minister Motegi stated that Japan has been providing financial support to the COVAX Facility including through co-hosting the COVAX AMC Summit, while continuing its efforts such as the provision of vaccines manufactured in Japan as well as the development of cold chains. Minister Motegi reiterated Japan’s intention to lead international efforts to achieve the fair and equitable access to safe and effective vaccines.
Regional Situation
- (1) East and South China Seas
Minister Motegi stated that unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East and South China Seas are continuing and intensifying, and expressed his strong opposition. Minister Motegi also re-emphasized the importance of the rule of law and the peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea, stating that the Arbitral Tribunal’s award should be complied to by the parties to the case. Furthermore, Minister Motegi stated that the Code of Conduct (COC) on the South China Sea should be consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and should not prejudice the legitimate rights and interests of all stakeholders.
Other countries expressed among others the importance of the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, and the importance of the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, in particular UNCLOS, among other matters. - (2) Hong Kong and Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Minister Motegi expressed serious concerns about the situation in Hong Kong and the human rights situation in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Furthermore, he stated the importance of upholding a free and open system in Hong Kong under the “One Country Two System” framework, ensuring the democratic and stable development of Hong Kong, and ensuring that the freedoms and rights of the people in Hong Kong and of the businesses are respected. - (3) North Korea
Minister Motegi stated that the full implementation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), including countering “ship-to-ship transfers”, is critical towards achieving realizing the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of all of North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges, and asked for continued understanding and cooperation in relation to the abductions issue.
Other countries expressed the importance of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the full implementation of the UNSCRs. - (4) Situation in Myanmar
Minister Motegi expressed grave concerns about the situation in Myanmar and noted that the Five-Point Consensus represents a positive step towards the cessation of violence and the initiation of dialogue. He welcomed the appointment today (August 4), of Minister Erywan as ASEAN Special Envoy to Myanmar, expressing Japan’s full support for Special Envoy Erywan’s activities, and conveying the hope that these activities will begin soon and lead to developments in the near term, including dialogue between the parties concerned.
Furthermore, regarding humanitarian assistance, Minister Motegi stated that Japan is providing support such as food and daily necessities to the people of Myanmar and intends to continue to provide assistance to the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre).
Countries made statements expressing their intention to cooperate with the swift implementation of the Five-Point Consensus on the situation in Myanmar and noting the importance of humanitarian support for the people of Myanmar.
Free and Open Indo-Pacific
Minister Motegi reiterated that Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific Region (AOIP) share fundamental principles, and announced that Japan will advance specific cooperation in AOIP priority areas that will lead to the further development of AOIP.
Concluding Remarks
In conclusion, Minister Motegi offered his congratulations for the achievements of the athletes representing EAS countries in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and expressed his hope that they will continue to perform at the highest level.