Source: Government of Japan – Prime Minister
[Provisional translation]
On September 8, 2023 (local time), Prime Minister Kishida visited New Delhi in the Republic of India to attend the G20 (Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy) New Delhi Summit.
The Prime Minister held a summit meeting with H.E. Mr. Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN, President of the Republic of Turkey.
Source: Government of Japan – Prime Minister
The ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) shares fundamental principles such as openness, transparency, inclusiveness, and respect for international law with a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)” which Japan has been promoting.
As a consistent supporter of ASEAN Centrality and unity, Japan was among the first countries to express its full support for the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific in 2019.
And today, I hereby announce the “Japan-ASEAN Comprehensive Connectivity Initiative” and declare that Japan will promote cooperation to strengthen connectivity in six areas.
The six areas and concrete ideas are as follows.
The first is transportation infrastructure development. Japan facilitates the flow of people and goods among ASEAN countries by developing ports, roads, railroads, and airports. The projects implemented by Japan have expanded to worth 2.8 trillion yen. In addition to hard infrastructure cooperation, we are promoting soft infrastructure cooperation through technical cooperation, continuously providing Japanese technology and knowledge.
The second area is “Digital Connectivity.” Japan will cooperate with ASEAN countries in promoting digitization and strengthening regional connectivity utilizing digital technology, as well as contributing to the security of cyberspace.
The third is “Maritime Cooperation” . This is an important element in strengthening connectivity between Japan and ASEAN countries, which are linked by the sea. Japan will assist ASEAN countries in enhancing their maritime law enforcement capacity, through training programs and grant of patrol vessels for the coast guard agencies and maritime police.
The fourth area is “Supply Chain Resilience.” Facing the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, ensuring a stable distribution of goods and food security have become important issues. Japan will contribute to supply chain resilience in the ASEAN region, and will build economies that can withstand a crisis together.
The fifth is “Electricity Connectivity” . The ASEAN region is experiencing rapid economic development, and demand for electric power is also growing. In order to ensure a stable electric power supply, Japan will support the improvement of electricity connectivity through the formulation of master plans and training programs.
Lastly, “Human and Knowledge Connectivity.” The foundation for the development of society is “people” and their “knowledge.” We will foster human resources in ASEAN countries through conducting personnel exchanges and training programs in a wide range of fields, as well as strengthen the network of people in Japan and ASEAN countries.
In these areas, Japan will provide capacity building projects for 5,000 individuals over the next three years. By promoting technical cooperation with ASEAN countries and strengthening our network, Japan will grow together with ASEAN. We hope to build a future that Japan and ASEAN can co-create new social values.
In concluding this 50th Year for ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, Japan will welcome the ASEAN Leaders to Tokyo and host the Commemorative Summit in Tokyo in December.
Together with the ASEAN Leaders, we would like to jointly launch a new vision for the general direction of ASEAN-Japan relations and cooperation in the coming years.
We will launch a wide range of cooperation initiatives in the political and security, economic, cultural and social fields, and further promote attractive cultural, people-to-people and intellectual exchanges and support for Japanese language education.
Through these initiatives, let us work together to pass on long-standing ASEAN-Japan “Golden Friendship” to the next generation and to make new era our “Golden Opportunity”.
Thank you very much. Terima kasih.
Source: Government of Japan – Prime Minister
[Provisional translation]
Your Excellency, Mr. Iohannis, President of Romania,
Distinguished participants,
I am KISHIDA Fumio, Prime minister of Japan.
The 3SI is an important initiative that will contribute to a strong, prosperous and united Europe by bolstering the connectivity of Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltic States. As the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific are increasingly recognized as inseparable, Japan strongly supports this initiative. I would therefore like to express my respect for Romania’s leadership in hosting this Summit.
The importance of promoting infrastructure development based on 3SI is stated in a Strategic Partnership between Japan and Romania that President Iohannis and I announced in March of this year. In Romania, Japan’s high quality technology is helping to strengthen connectivity, the best example is Braila Bridge, a large suspension bridge over the Danube River. Romania also plays a major role as the main export route for Ukrainian grain and the Braila Bridge is an important achievement of EU-Japan cooperation with regard to connectivity.
I understand that a business forum will be held tomorrow, the second day of the conference, with the participation of many Japanese companies with a view to further contributions by private sector actors in the region. The Government of Japan will also play an active role in encouraging further participation by Japanese companies under the 3SI.
We believe that the invitation of Ukraine and Moldova to this Summit is timely. Japan will continue to support Ukraine and its neighbors, and will work to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine as soon as possible and to achieve a just and lasting peace.
Thank you very much.
Source: Government of Japan – Prime Minister
Source: Government of Japan – Prime Minister
[Provisional translation]
On September 7, 2023 (local time), Prime Minister Kishida, who is visiting Jakarta in the Republic of Indonesia to attend the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-related Summit meetings, attended the East Asia Summit.
The Prime Minister then held Summit meetings with His Excellency Mr. Joko Widodo, President of the Republic of Indonesia, and with Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei HUN Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, before holding a press conference on ASEAN-related Summit meetings and other matters.
Source: Government of Japan – Prime Minister
[Provisional translation]
ASEAN-related Summit Meetings with the theme of “Epicentrum of Growth” started yesterday under the Chair of Indonesia. I am extremely pleased to have a chance to visit Indonesia again as Prime Minister of Japan, following my visits in this April and November last year.
This year marks the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation and the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Indonesia. During their visit to Indonesia as state guests in June, Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress received a heartwarming welcome from President Joko Widodo and the people of Indonesia and had many opportunities to communicate with them. Following the visit of Their Majesties, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Government and the people of Indonesia for their hospitality in welcoming our delegation this time.
Half a century since Japan pioneered in the world in establishing a dialogue with ASEAN, Japan and ASEAN have together followed a path of development of integration not only as major trade and investment partners, but also as true friends based on “heart-to-heart” relationship. It has not been a smooth path. But each time we have faced major difficulties, such as the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic, we have reached out to each other and worked together for the peace and stability in the region, as well as its sustainable development and prosperity. The partnership between Japan and ASEAN is characterized by its long-standing history based on mutual understanding and trust.
Boosted by the dramatic development of ASEAN countries, our region has grown into a powerful driver of the world economy. I believe it very timely that Indonesia has adopted the theme of “Epicentrum of Growth” as this year’s ASEAN Chair.
At a time when the international community is at a very difficult turning point in history, the key to keeping the region as a peaceful and stable “Epicentrum of Growth” is maintaining and strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law. Currently, our region is facing various challenges. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is not just an issue in Europe, but is a challenge to the very principles on which the entire international community rests. The soaring food and energy prices, accelerated by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, has also affected the livelihoods of people in the region. Turning to the Indo-Pacific region, we are facing with challenges such as unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force and North Korea’s intensified nuclear and missile activities, along with urgent issues of building resilient supply chains and addressing economic coercion. I am convinced that it would be beneficial not only to Japan and ASEAN but also to the entire world that we develop and enrich this region as a region free from such force or coercion and where freedom and the rule of law are respected.
The ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), respectively advocated by ASEAN and Japan, share the fundamental principles, such as openness, transparency, inclusiveness and respect for international law. It is extremely important to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law and to promote concrete initiatives that contribute to such fundamental principles.
Announcing a new plan for FOIP in March this year, I cited first Southeast Asia as an important region and pledged a contribution of 100 million dollars to Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund（JAIF）, which has contributed to the integration of ASEAN. In addition, to further strengthen both hard and soft connectivity, I announced the renewal of the comprehensive “Japan-ASEAN Connectivity Initiative.” Specifically, in addition to conventional support for the development of transport infrastructure, we will promote technical cooperation in a wide range of areas including digital connectivity, maritime cooperation, supply chains resilience, electricity connectivity and human and knowledge connectivity, thereby assisting the further deepening of ASEAN integration and strengthening the ties between Japan and ASEAN. We will announce this new initiative during this visit to Indonesia.
In order to hand down to the next generation the “heart-to-heart” partnership that lays the foundation of our close relationship, it is also necessary to further strengthen a wide range of people-to-people exchanges. Japan will further promote attractive cultural, people-to-people and intellectual exchanges and support for Japanese language education, such as the youth exchange program called “JENESYS” and the “WA project” by the Japan Foundation.
One hundred one days from today in December, as a conclusion of this year’s 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, a Special Summit Meeting will be held in Tokyo to jointly issue a vision of the future direction of Japan-ASEAN relations and cooperation. At the ASEAN-related Summit Meetings to start tomorrow, I would like to confirm close cooperation with the ASEAN countries toward this Special Summit Meeting.
While continuing to support “ASEAN centrality and unity,” Japan will join hands with friends within ASEAN for the peace and prosperity of the region, working together to address our common and current challenges, such as climate change, public health crises, digitalization and AI governance.
I hope that this one year will be judged by history to have handed down to the future generation the long-standing “Golden Friendship” between Japan and ASEAN, thus serving as the “Golden Opportunities” to together carve out a new era.
I am sincerely looking forward to deepening friendship with the people I will meet during this coming stay.
Source: Government of Japan – Prime Minister
Source: Government of Japan – Prime Minister
[Provisional translation]
On August 31, 2023, Prime Minister Kishida held a press conference regarding the response to China’s suspension of imports of marine products and support measures to protect the fisheries industry and other matters at the Prime Minister’s Office.