The 36th ASEAN-Japan Forum held virtually today reaffirmed the commitments of both sides to further strengthen cooperation and advance partnership.

The meeting took note of the good progress made in ASEAN-Japan cooperation over the last year in all four pillars of partnership, including through following up to the outcomes of the 23rd ASEAN-Japan Summit and the implementation of the Revised Implementation Plan of the 2013 Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation. Approximately 97% of the action lines set out in the Plan have been addressed.

The meeting also highlighted the close cooperation between ASEAN and Japan in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and appreciated Japan’s support to ASEAN, such as through Japan’s contribution for the establishment of the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases Centre and to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund.

A Feasibility Study on the Establishment of “ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases” is supported by the Government of Japan through Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).

Hoang Lien Sapa National Park covers 298 sq km in Viet Nam’s mountainous province of Lao Cai. With the country’s highest mountain, Fansipan, in its range, the park serves as a valuable biosphere for rare plant species Fujian cypress and Bac Xanh tree. Among endemic fauna in the park are the soc trau (squirrel, doi tai so (bat), and vuon den tuyen tay bac (gibbon). The birds of Fansipan include several Himalayan species not found elsewhere in Viet Nam.

The ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP) Programme is a flagship initiative of the ASEAN. It recognises uniqueness, diversity, and outstanding values of national protected areas of ASEAN member states so that their importance as conservation areas could be appreciated regionally and globally. Presently, there are 49 AHPs throughout the ASEAN region. The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity serves as the Secretariat of the AHP Programme, working with partners like the ASEAN Member States.

The Improving Management Effectiveness in the ASEAN Heritage Parks through Capacity Development and Biodiversity Information Management project is supported by the Government of Japan through Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).

The Government of Japan continues to work closely with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to bolster security across the Indo-Pacific in the areas of public health, disaster management and cybersecurity.

Tokyo has demonstrated high levels of participation and financial support with its involvement in new and ongoing initiatives, which were discussed at the 15th meeting of the ASEAN-Japan Joint Cooperation Committee, held virtually March 23, 2021, and co-chaired by the ambassadors to ASEAN from Japan and Viet Nam.

Despite the pandemic, the ASEAN-Japan cooperation program implemented or adopted 57 projects that received about U.S. $40 million in support from Japan through its Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), ASEAN delegates said.

Japan’s interest in fortifying the region’s preparedness and capacity to respond to health crises such as future pandemics is coming to fruition through its investment in the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED), which was a central topic at the meeting, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported. Experts from Japan are expected to help ASEAN design the ACPHEED center and train its personnel.

Embassy of Japan in Thailand invites high school students from Thailand to join the online webinar on exchange programme through JENESYS2020 project. It aims to increase mutual understanding of youth from Japan and Thailand to foster friendship and cooperation in the future.

Through the webinar, students can find out the interesting things of Kanoya city in Kagoshima Prefecture, which will be the Thailand’s host town in festival Olympic or Tokyo 2020. Host town refers to a local city in Japan that welcome athletes from around the world to compete in Tokyo 2020. These host towns will connect with the countries participating in the competition through public-level exchanges to deepen mutual understanding and strengthen a lasting friendship.

The Japan’s Friendship Ties Programmes JENESYS2020 is supported by the Government of Japan through Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).

Representatives from Cambodia, Myanmar, Mission of Japan to ASEAN, JAIF Management Team, NTT Data and the ASEAN Secretariat met online during the 1st Project Steering Committee (PSC) Meeting of the ASEAN Cultural Heritage Digital Archive (ACHDA) – Phase 2 Project on 27 April 2021. The PSC members discussed upcoming digitisation and promotional activities for ACHDA Phase 2 that will be implemented from 2021-2022.

Stay tuned to ASEAN COCI for more news on ACHDA!

The ASEAN Cultural Heritage Digital Archive (ACHDA) – Phase 2 project is supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).