ASEAN-Japan Cooperation: Jakarta Summits
This is the third article in a four-part series focused on engagement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Quad countries — the United States (US), Japan, India, and Australia — at various bilateral summits, the 18th East Asia Summit, and the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Forum held from 6-8 September. I parse through key speeches and statements to understand key areas of cooperation between ASEAN and the US, Australia, India, and Japan. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 20th ASEAN-India Summit, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida the 26th ASEAN-Japan Summit, US Vice President Kamala Harris — acting in President Joe Biden’s stead — the 11th ASEAN-US Summit, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese the 3rd ASEAN-Australia Summit.
At the 26th ASEAN-Japan summit, ASEAN and Japan upgraded their relationship to a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’. The joint statement underscoring this upgrade emphasises the convergence of interests between ASEAN and Japan in the Indo-Pacific. It also includes “reaffirming” their commitment to ‘Cooperation on ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific’ that the two adopted in 2020.
In his speech, Kishida referred to the importance of ASEAN centrality, and how the Indo-Pacific presents an opportunity for Japan and ASEAN to work together. He noted synergies between their respective Indo-Pacific outlooks — between the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP). Kishida noted the mutual emphasis on fostering principles of openness, transparency, inclusiveness, and respect for international law in the Indo-Pacific.
Kishida also announced an addition of $100 million to the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), a fund catered towards deepening ASEAN integration. Regarding Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant wastewater release, Kishida noted that the ALPS treated water was “widely understood” by the international community, and that Japan would work with the IAEA in a highly transparent manner, and asked for the continued support of other countries.
ASEAN’s statement on the bilateral summit is more comprehensive. It notes the need to deepen cooperation between ASEAN and Japan across numerous areas, and that there was a need to enhance the role of existing bilateral mechanisms in certain others:
On the security pillar, they affirmed continuing to enhance cooperation in areas including transnational crime (illicit drugs), maritime security (Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing), and international economic crime. In this vein, bilateral mechanisms like within the ASEAN Plus Japan Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC + Japan) were noted.
Within trade, both noted the need to deepen and expand trade and investment, including through the implementation of the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
ASEAN “encouraged” Japan to explore potential areas of cooperation — and appreciated ongoing cooperation — in emerging areas like digital trade, green infrastructure, connectivity, supply chain resilience, and energy transition, among others.
Other areas include collaboration to address marine litter, biodiversity conservation, climate change, and promoting transition to a climate resilient, clean energy, and pursuing the decarbonisation of societies.
Both discussed the “benefits” of having the South China Sea as a sea of peace and stability and “reaffirmed [their] shared commitment to safeguarding and promoting peace, security, and stability in the region.” They also underscored the importance of effectively implementing the status-quo legal framework guiding engagement in the region, including through UNCLOS and the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).
With regard to the war in Ukraine, Japan and ASEAN expressed the need to deplore —“in the strongest terms” — the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, and demanded the complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine, noting the concerned UNSC Resolution. They also expressed concern toward nuclear tensions and militarisation of the Korean Peninsula, and towards the political crisis in Myanmar.
At the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Forum, Kishida launched the Japan-ASEAN Comprehensive Connectivity Initiative, an upgrade of the same initiative from 2020. The initiative complements ASEAN in its efforts to strengthen connectivity to develop quality infrastructure and promote non-structural cooperation through technical and structural cooperation. Japan’s ¥2.8 trillion investment in the Southeast Asian region is spread across enhancing transport infrastructure development, strengthening digital, maritime, electricity, ‘human and knowledge’ connectivity, and supporting supply chain resilience.
At the East Asia Summit, Kishida commented on regional and international issues. He brought up the need for upholding and reinforcing the free and open international order based on the rule of law, and stated that Japan opposed unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force and economic coercion. He also expressed concern towards the deteriorating situations in the East China and South China Seas, and the Taiwan Strait. On Taiwan, Kishida stated that “Japan’s basic position on Taiwan remain[ed] unchanged”. Regarding China, he said Japan would “engage itself in mutual efforts to build a constructive and stable relationship” between Japan and China, together with President Xi Jinping, and that Japan would continue to “promote close communication at all levels” for this purpose.
