The 24th ASEAN-Japan Summit Meeting

27 October 2021 -

On 27 October, H.E. KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, attended the 24th ASEAN-Japan Summit Meeting which was held via video conference and chaired by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam. Following the opening remarks of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, Prime Minister Kishida delivered his opening remarks and expressed that Japan would vigorously advance efforts to achieve a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)” in cooperation with ASEAN. Especially, he expressed his intention to welcome ASEAN leaders to Japan in 2023, which marks the 50th Anniversary of the ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, and hold a Commemorative Summit meeting to raise ASEAN-Japan relations to a new stage.

Prime Minister Kishida then illustrated Japan’s assistance to ASEAN to counter COVID-19 Pandemic including support to the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED) through Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) to become the core of regional efforts to counter communicable diseases. Japan has been consistently supporting ASEAN centrality and unity and has been advancing concrete cooperation in line with the priority areas of maritime cooperation, connectivity, SDGs and economy, based on the ASEAN-Japan Joint Statement on AOIP Cooperation adopted at last year’s ASEAN-Japan Summit. Japan issued a Progress Report of a total of 73 projects which included 49 cooperation projects announced at last year’s Summit as well as 24 additional projects. A number of project are supported through JAIF including Capacity Building of ASEAN TV Broadcasters through Documentary Program Production on Marine Plastic Waste in ASEAN, JENESYS, Assistance to the Most Vulnerable Groups (SMEs, Agriculture and Fisheries Communities), Development of the Report on the State of Climate Change in ASEAN Region, etc.

Further, with a view to leading the international community to achieve carbon neutrality, Japan announced the ASEAN-Japan Climate Change Action Agenda 2.0 which includes ASEAN Mapping Exercise to Promote Synergy with Other Relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies and Entities Associated with ASEAN on Disaster Management and Carbon Footprint of Renewable Energy for ASEAN Countries that are supported through JAIF.

Following Prime Minister Kishida’s opening remarks, ASEAN countries congratulated Prime Minister Kishida on his assuming the office and the successful hosting of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, and expressed their high evaluation and appreciation for Japan’s leadership to counter COVID-19 including its provision of medical supplies including vaccines, the establishment of the ACPHEED, and financial support.

Detailed list of Japan’s Cooperation Projects on the AOIP is available on MOFA Japan’s website: https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/100253489.pdf

Chairman’s Statement of the 24th ASEAN-Japan Summit is available here:https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/73.-FINAL-Chairmans-Statement-of-the-24th-ASEAN-Japan-Summit-27-Oct-2021-1.pdf