Japan's Co-operation to ASEAN
(Japan's New Initiatives)

December 12, 2003

Giving priority to ASEAN in its ODA
Placing emphasis on cooperation for reinforcing integration, enhancing economic competitiveness and addressing transnational issues
Expected to exceed US$ 1.5 billion for human resource development, with various human exchange programmes involving approximately 40,000 people
Expected to provide assistance of approximately US$ 1.5 billion for the Mekong Region Development

1. Three areas to be emphasised in Japan-ASEAN Co-operation

(1)	Co-operation for reinforcing integration of ASEAN
	Narrowing the gaps by assisting sub-regional initiatives The Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) The Mekong Region Development Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), etc. Improving economic infrastructure, etc.
(2)	Co-operation for enhancing economic competitiveness of ASEAN countries including investment promotion
	Forging economic partnerships (Assistance for developing bilateral Economic Partnership Agreements) Promoting education, human resource development and institutional capacity building, etc.
(3)	Co-operation for addressing terrorism, piracy and other transnational issues
	Enhancing co-operation in areas such as human and institutional capacity building for law enforcement agencies, etc.

Around 30% of its bilateral ODA in the past 10 years has been provided for ASEAN countries
About 60% of total bilateral ODA for ASEAN countries from DAC (Development Assistance Committee) countries is from Japan
Japan continues to commit itself to attaching special importance to ASEAN countries

(1)	Priority Issues
	HRD is a prerequisite for making progress in any of the above 3 areas. Japan will extend support for HRD, especially in the following 7 priority issues.
	(a) Policy making and public administration (b) Industry and energy (c) Education (d) Global issues (environment, infectious diseases etc.) (e) Community empowerment (f) Minimising regional disparity (south-south cooperation) (g) ICT
(2)	Scale of assistance
	Expected assistance exceeding US$ 1.5 billions over the next 3 years Through technical cooperation, grant aid and yen loans etc. Scheduled human exchange programmes involving approximately 40,000 people during the same period Receiving trainees, students and youths, and dispatching experts, etc.

Integrated approach of economic cooperation and trade-investment facilitation, based on the "New concept of Mekong Region Development"
Enhancing economic cooperation with expected assistance amounting to approximately US$ 1.5 billions over the coming 3 years
Co-operation in a wide range of fields including the "East-West Economic Corridor", the "2nd East-West Corridor", improvement of transportation infrastructure, electricity sector, ICT and water resource management
Promoting trade and investment through various measures
Promoting economic activities of Japanese enterprises in the Mekong Region, support the efforts of the New Member Countries toward the economic integration, and take other various measures
Strengthening consultation and co-ordination with ASEAN countries, other international organisations such as the Asian Development Bank and NGOs