Japan To Expand Strategic Partnership With ASEAN Under AOIP

By N. Kuvineshwaren

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 (Bernama) -- Japan acknowledged that ASEAN’s role is essential in maintaining peace and stability in the region as Tokyo reaffirmed its commitment to bolstered cooperation under the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) framework.

Press Secretary of Japan’s Foreign Ministry, Toshihiro Kitamura, said the vision of the AOIP aligned with Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) and collaboration can be further enhanced for the benefits of the two regions. 

“Both frameworks share key principles such as openness, inclusiveness, transparency and the rule of law,” Kitamura said in a press briefing on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.

A joint statement was adopted by ASEAN leaders and Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi following the 28th ASEAN-Japan Summit on Sunday has, among others, outlined commitment by both sides to expand cooperation, in line with the AOIP, in addressing global challenges beyond the region to promote peace, stability and prosperity by capitalising on this region’s growing presence.

Both sides also commit to undertake substantive, practical and tangible cooperation through concrete projects under the AOIP’s four priority areas of maritime cooperation, connectivity, UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, and economic and other possible areas of cooperation.

“Cooperation based on the Joint Statement on promotion of AOIP will also extend beyond security to include marine plastic pollution prevention, satellite navigation for connectivity and infrastructure development,” he said.

This is the second joint statement on the AOIP after the first in 2020. 

Kitamura said Japan stands ready to support ASEAN’s need for various pathways towards carbon neutrality by 2050, given the region’s rapidly growing and manufacturing-based economies.

Under the ASEAN+3 (China, Japan and South Korea) framework, Japan also reaffirmed its commitment to practical cooperation, including rapid emergency financing in case of crisis, and food security, particularly emergency rice reserve, under this multilateral framework.

Meanwhile, Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Public Affairs from the Prime Minister’s Office, Takahito Misumi, said Japan continues to advance economic security cooperation with ASEAN, particularly Malaysia, in such areas as semiconductors and critical minerals.

The official noted that cooperation on rare earths in Terengganu, Kelantan and Pahang is a promising sector for Malaysia and Japan.

Japan currently imports 15.5 per cent of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Malaysia and is expanding collaboration in hydrogen and ammonia projects, including hydrogen initiatives in Sarawak, ammonia-fired gas power studies, the ASEAN Power Grid, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects with Petronas and Japanese companies such as Mitsubishi.

-- BERNAMA