Wrap-Up Symposium for the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation

21 February 2024 -

On 21 February, the Mission of Japan to ASEAN organised the Wrap-up Symposium of the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, titled “Co-Creating the Future with Trust,” co-hosted with the Permanent Mission of Thailand to ASEAN and Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), in a hybrid format, at the Digital Innovation Sustainable Centre (E-DISC) of ERIA, as a wrap-up event of the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.

In the opening session, Ambassador Soemadi Brotodiningrat, Senior Fellow of Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), H.E. Ekkaphab Phanthavong, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, H.E. Urawadee Sriphiromya, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to ASEAN, and Mr. NAKAMURA Ryo, Director General of Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs Department, MOFA Japan, followed by screening of video of the Commemorative Summit and various events in the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation. The opening session was concluded with a wrap-up video produced and supported by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).

Then, the panel discussion session was held (socio-economic challenges in session 1, ASEAN-centred regional architecture in session 2), and Mr. Tetsuya Watanabe, President of ERIA, and H.E. Hassan Wirajuda, former Indonesian foreign minister, made keynote speeches in each session, followed by vibrant discussions among the panelists and participants from ASEAN Member States and Japan, including ways to address political and socio-economic challenges that we face today, as well as the role of ASEAN-Japan partnership toward regional peace, stability and prosperity, while taking into account the achievements of the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.

In closing, Ambassador Kiya concluded the symposium by stating his appreciation to those people and discussants who attended and made great contributions, as well as expressing his determination to further strengthen ASEAN-Japan relationship as we recognize this symposium as a new starting point of ASEAN-Japan friendship and cooperation, while promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world through “co-creation” with ASEAN based on “trust.”

About 80 participants attended the event, including most of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN, staff from Dialogue Partners/diplomatic missions, officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, as well as academics. The symposium was also livestreamed on YouTube with about 200 participants.

Click here to watch the symposium.