Inception Meeting of the ASEAN Regional Workshop on Border Enforcement on illicit Trade with Japan Customs

JAKARTA, 28 August 2025 – The inception meeting for the newly approved ASEAN Regional Workshop on Border Enforcement on Illicit Trade with Japan Customs was convened.

The meeting brought together key stakeholders from the Royal Malaysian Customs Department, the Japan Customs, the ASEAN Secretariat, Japan International Cooperation System (JICS), and the JAIF Management Team (JMT) to discuss project implementation and logistics for the training.

The Government of Japan, in collaboration with Japan Customs, has been supporting capacity building for ASEAN customs officers through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) since 2020. This project aims to enhance the expertise of customs enforcement officers, leading to more modern and effective border enforcement and a stronger collective effort to combat illicit trade in the ASEAN region.