Tokyo, 17 December 2023: Celebrating 50 years of friendship and cooperation, ASEAN and Japan leaders pledged to strengthen their 'mutually beneficial' cooperation at a special summit in Tokyo, co-chaired by Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Both ASEAN and Japan expressed their commitment to deepening cooperation on security, economic issues, and ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), as an international organisation which has worked very closely with both parties, was invited to the summit. In his intervention, ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe emphasized how ERIA stands ready to collaborate with ASEAN and Japan and act as a policy research centre and a facilitator for policymakers to connect and collaborate.

President Watanabe also highlighted key areas for ERIA’s future focus: zero emissions, decarbonisation of supply chains, and human resource development. These priorities aim to support mutual objectives and serve as crucial areas for joint efforts between ERIA, ASEAN, and Japan.

'Collaboration and co-creation with all of you is the key,' concluded President Watanabe, reaffirming ERIA's commitment to elevating the ASEAN-Japan partnership to even greater heights.