From foes to partners: Japan, Asean to mark 50 years of ties

New action plan will cover areas such as regional stability, economy and more

- Walter Sim

Japanese and Asean leaders will cement their relationship as one of “trusted partners” during a three-day celebration in Tokyo from Dec 16 to mark 50 years of relations.

An action plan, expected to be announced on Dec 17, will spell out concrete steps that Japan and Asean will take in areas such as regional stability, the economy and social exchanges, according to a Japanese Foreign Ministry official.

“Asean has become a centre of global growth, but is facing internal and external challenges. Its members are diverse and hold various positions on global issues,” the official said during a media briefing on Dec 14.

“What we must do is work with Asean to find solutions to shared challenges and contribute to a peaceful, stable and prosperous region and the world. Our mutual trust is the foundation of our relations.”

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be among nine Asean leaders attending the commemorative summit, which will take stock of the progress of Japan-Asean ties over the last half-century and chart the way forward.

Myanmar, now under military rule since a coup against the civilian government in 2021, was not invited. Timor-Leste, however, will join as an observer, with Asean having agreed “in principle” to admit the country as its 11th member.

The semi-centennial also comes as Japan and Asean upgraded their relationship to the highest tier of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in September.

The leaders’ summit is expected to lead to closer cooperation in various areas, from supply chain resilience and digitalisation to decarbonisation and maritime capacity-building.

Fifty years ago, however, the mood could not have been more different. When Japan became the first country to establish dialogue channels with Asean in 1973, diplomatic tensions were high amid the Cold War and distrust was rife, with World War II in recent memory.