Leaders of Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are expected to agree Sunday on expanding their relations in the economic and security fields at a summit to commemorate 50 years of their friendship and cooperation.
After the gathering in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his ASEAN counterparts will issue a "joint vision statement" and implementation plan showing future areas of cooperation, such as maritime security and supply chains, according to Japanese government officials.
The leaders will also announce the launch of a new initiative for the next-generation car industry aimed at mapping out strategies to enable ASEAN to continue being the world's hub of auto production and exports, the officials said.
Among other new efforts to further boost the economy in the fast-growing region will be supporting digital startups as well as accelerating public and private investment to achieve decarbonization, they added.
Kishida and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who are serving as co-chairs, are set to hold a joint press conference after the summit.
The meeting comes as Tokyo has strengthened its ties with developing and emerging countries collectively called the "Global South," including ASEAN members, to capitalize on their growth while trying to counter China's increasing economic and military clout.
Japan regards its relations with ASEAN as strategically important, with the bloc facing the South China Sea, home to one of the world's busiest maritime sea lanes. Some of the 10 ASEAN members have overlapping territorial claims with China there.
Tokyo's substantial cooperation with ASEAN goes back to 1973, when they set up a forum on synthetic rubber as a solution to a trade dispute over Japanese rubber exports. Kishida said Japan will promote the exchange of young business leaders with the region.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Myanmar, which has been under military rule since a February 2021 coup, was not invited to the summit.
The nine participating ASEAN leaders are scheduled to attend a separate summit of the 11-member Asia Zero Emission Community framework, also involving Japan and Australia, on Monday, with the focus on reducing carbon emissions.
