Policy Speech by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

“ Japan and One ASEAN that Care and Share at the Heart of Dynamic Asia ”

Embassy of Japan

August 21, 2007

On August 20, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivered a speech entitled “ Japan and One ASEAN that Care and Share at the Heart of Dynamic Asia” on the occasion of his official visit to Indonesia.

In his speech, Prime Minister Abe stated, “Japan intends to walk alongside the countries of ASEAN and their people always in the spirit of “care and share,” as it has done consistently over these last 40 years and will continue to do for the next 40 and more. This is what Japan has resolved. Furthermore, we hope that Indonesia and ASEAN will join the people of Japan in taking up the challenges that Asia and the globe will be facing in the years to come.”

Prime Minister Abe then spoke of three ways in which Japan is able to make efforts to resolve the development gaps, specifically Economic Partnership Agreement between Japan and ASEAN countries, focus policies on the Mekong Region, and assistance in peacebuilding, which is fundamental to everything. In addition, he urged ASEAN leaders to join in with the efforts to address environmental issues affecting the entire globe.

Prime Minister Abe concluded his speech, emphasizing that Japan and ASEAN have now come to the point at which a mutually complementary relationship is emerging, in name as well as in substance.

The transcript of the entire speech is available at:

http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/pmv0708/speech.html

[Related links]

* Economic Partnership Agreement between Japan and Indonesia ( August 20, 2007 )

http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/indonesia/epa0708/index.html

* Joint Statement by Japan and the Republic of Indonesia on the Enhancement of the Cooperation on Climate Change, Environment and Energy Issues ( August 20, 2007 )

http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/pmv0708/joint.html

* Japan-ASEAN relations

http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/asean/index.html

* Japan-Indonesia relations

http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/indonesia/index.html