VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

"Indonesia together with ASEAN has an interest in continuing to maintain and ensure that the current geo-strategic dynamics do not interfere with peace and stability in the region. The aim is to make the Indo-Pacific region a peaceful, stable and prosperous region ", said the Director of ASEAN External Cooperation / Chair of the Indonesian Delegation, Benny YP Siahaan at the 34th ASEAN-Japan Forum Meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam, 3-4 June 2019.

This was revealed by Benny during a discussion on the Regional Architecture including Indo-Pacific Cooperation agenda. "ASEAN and Japan have the same goal that peace, security, stability and prosperity depend on openness, inclusiveness and stability in the Indo-Pacific region", continued Benny.

Senior Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Takeo Mori as Chair of the Japanese Delegation, expressed his appreciation to ASEAN in determining attitudes in the midst of competition and the struggle for influence of major powers today. Japan is seen by Japan as being able to bridge and improve stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

In addition, on the Regional and International Security Issues agenda, Indonesia expressed concern over several issues that were developing in the region. "Indonesia encourages the parties involved to dialogue and remain committed to achieving the Korean Peninsula which is peaceful and free from nuclear weapons. Regarding the situation in the South China Sea, Indonesia underlines the importance of relevant parties to respect and continue to support the process pursued by ASEAN, "Benny said.

The ASEAN-Japan Forum is an annual meeting at the level of Senior Officials (SOM) between ASEAN and Japan. The 34th ASEAN-Japan Forum meeting was chaired jointly by Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Dzung Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs / Chairperson of ASEAN-Vietnam SOM and Ambassador Takeo Mori Senior Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs / Chair of Japan's SOM. The meeting also discussed various matters of mutual interest, namely the development and direction of future ASEAN-Japan cooperation, among others in the field of maritime security, eradication of terrorism, cyber security, trade and investment including MSMEs, business to business linkages, regional connectivity, science and technology and innovation , disaster management, health, community relations, education and human resources and so forth.

ASEAN-Japan trade relations have reached 217.9 billion USD and put Japan as ASEAN's 4th largest trading partner. Japan was also recorded as the second largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in ASEAN with a figure of 13.2 billion USD.

In the socio-cultural field, ASEAN-Japan also pays attention to inter-community relations, especially through youth and student exchanges. Through the Japan East-Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS), ASEAN and Japan succeeded in increasing the understanding of youth and students of friendship and cooperation between the two. In the period of 2007-2018, there were 31,542 youth and students both ASEAN and Japan who had participated in the JENESYS exchange program.

ASEAN-Japan informal cooperation began in 1973 and increased to formal relations in March 1977. The ASEAN-Japan partnership then reached the Strategic Partnership level in 2011.

(Source: ASEAN External Cooperation Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)