Prime Minister of Japan, TAKAICHI Sanae, attended the 28th ASEAN-Japan Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 26 October 2025. Prime Minister TAKAICHI congratulated Timor-Leste on its official accession to ASEAN and emphasised Japan’s continued support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), which aligns with Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision. A key outcome of the summit was the adoption of a joint statement reaffirming the synergy between AOIP and FOIP and a shared commitment to regional cooperation.

Discussions reviewed progress under the three pillars of the 2023 Joint Vision Statement. Under “Partners for Peace and Stability,” Japan reiterated its support for maritime security, disaster response to respond to increasingly frequent and severe disasters and provide humanitarian assistance, Japan will continue to support the activities and human resource development of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre). Moreover, she also stated that Japan is also dispatching experts to support the establishment and capacity building of the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED).

The second pillar, “Partners for Co-creation of Economy and Society of the Future,” focused on digital transformation, AI, and green innovation, including the launch of the Japan-ASEAN Co-creation Initiative for AI.

The third pillar, “Heart-to-Heart Partners across Generations,” highlighted youth and cultural exchanges through JENESYS, the Attachment Program, with new opportunities for graduate study at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Japan.

Prime Minister TAKAICHI also expressed appreciation for ASEAN’s participation in Expo 2025 Osaka, which symbolized the enduring cultural and strategic ties between ASEAN and Japan.

Support for the disaster management and humanitarian assistance through the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre), Feasibility Study on the Establishment of “ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases”, Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) Programmes, Master’s Degree Programme for the IAI Attachment Program Graduates at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), and Utilization of Expo 2025 Osaka to Enhance ASEAN Awareness as a Single Tourist Destination are supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).

Joint Statement of the 28th ASEAN-Japan Summit (English) | (Japanese).