Japan's Envoy: ASEAN is Our True Friend
- VIVAnews / Renne Kawilarang
VIVAnews - "A friend in need is a friend indeed," said Ambassador Takio Yamada as he described the massive supports and encouragement from the people and the governments of ASEAN to their fellows in Japan in the aftermath of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
Appointed as the first-ever Japanese envoy to ASEAN based in Jakarta, Ambassador Yamada expressed a deep appreciation for the continuous public attention to the people in his country.
"You, the ASEAN people, are really a true friend of Japan. We absolutely welcome those supports with open hands," said Ambassador Yamada in his conversation with VIVAnews.com at his office today.
He also explained that disaster management efforts"will eventually enhance the level of cooperation between ASEAN and Japan." Ambassador Yamada also pointed out some fundamental cooperation between Japan and ASEAN in other sectors, such as trade and politic.
Would you please briefly explain the reason of the Japanese Government to assign a special ambassador to ASEAN, considering that Japan has already had a diplomatic office in every ASEAN state?
ASEAN is very important for Japan. We have a long standing and very special partnership for many years, either among individual countries or between Japan and ASEAN as a group.
In terms of economic issue, ASEAN is the second largest trade partner for Japan and one of main destinations for our direct investment abroad. We also have important regional meetings with ASEAN, like East Asian Summit, ASEAN Plus 3, and Japan-ASEAN Summit as well as ASEAN Regional Forum.
Based on the ASEAN Charter, established in 2008, it states the establishment of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) in Jakarta. Now, CPR is getting to be a vital mechanism for ASEAN and its dialogue partners for discussing policy matters on our cooperation.
Hence it is important for ASEAN members and its external dialogue partners, including Japan, to assign special ambassadors to communicate regularly with the ASEAN Secretariat, which is based in Jakarta. Given to our important partnership with ASEAN, we responded to the request by setting up our mission office to ASEAN.
What is the main issue need to be prioritized in the ASEAN-Japan relationship at the moment?
There are many issues and our partnership is very comprehensive. We have agreed to issue a Joint Declaration and Plan of Action at the Japan - ASEAN Summit, to be held in Bali in November 2011. Our cooperation covers in economic matters, political and security affairs, socio-cultural partnership.
In economic field, one of the important issues is Connectivity in ASEAN countries. We are dealing with this issue in a joint working committee between Japan and ASEAN. Japan also creates a task force for the ASEAN Connectivity and arranges regular meetings with ASEAN counterparts. This Connectivity may promote growth in ASEAN countries and will increase the dynamics in trade and economic cooperation with Japan.
On political and security issue, we discuss the modality and situation in expanding the regional cooperation. This year, ASEAN is organizing the first round of the expanded East Asia Summit, in which some countries including Russia and the United Stated will participate to the summit. We support ASEAN to make this upcoming summit successfull.
Socio-cultural matter is also important. Maybe you have learned about our Global Youth Exchange Program. We have invited more than 7.000 youths every year from ASEAN to Japan for the past five years.
In economic sector, you mentioned about the ASEAN Connectivity program. How is Japan involved with the program?
According to the masterplan of the Connectivity, as discussed by the ASEAN leaders in the Hanoi Summit last year, there are three pillars of connectivity. First is physical connectivity. It is an infrastucture development that connect the ASEAN countries.
The second pillar is institutional connectivity that will analyze the system and the institution within ASEAN countries that will make them easier to be interconnected. The third pillar is people-to-people contact. That include the promotion of exchanges between people from both sides. It also links to the capacity of the people.
In order to engage all three pillars of connectivity, Japan envisioned a new initiative called New Growth Strategy. This initivative will support trade facilitation in ASEAN as well as to prevent overlapping policies between ASEAN and Japan.
The ASEAN Secretary-General, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, in the aftermath of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, said that “ASEAN governments are standing by to assist Japan in manners required and needed by her affected people.” What does Japan expect ASEAN to do to ease the burden caused by the tragedy?
The reaction of all ASEAN countries as a group has been giving so many things for Japan in the aftermath of the tsunami and earthquake. We are very much grateful to the people and the government of ASEAN.
We have been receving many contributions, both in goods and equipments. Those supports have got high appreciation from the Japanese people and many ASEAN countries immediately dispatched rescue teams to Japan not long after the disasters.
ASEAN and Japan also organized special foreign ministerial meeting in April to discuss and express a commitment to give help. Following the meeting, ASEAN Secretariat just today launched Caravan of Goodwill to visit earthquake and tsunami survivors in Japan.
Well, those efforts make me want to say that "A friend in need is a friend indeed." You, the ASEAN people, are really a true friend of Japan. We absolutely warmly welcome those supports with open hands.
Before the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, Japan has been the main trade partner for ASEAN. Are you concerned that this trade cooperation could be in decline following the disasters?
Well, up to now we have a stable trade relationship with our partners in Southeast Asia and the relationship is still healthy. Of course, there might be some negative impacts on our economic activity in Japan following the earthquake and tsunami in the short term. However it is expected that we will get recovered soon.
The reconstruction and recovery process in Tohoku region is in progress. Yet, we still maintain a good trade, economic relationship and investment with our partners.
Considering that almost all East Asian Countries are prone to earthquake and tsunami, does Japan feel necessary to set up a joint mechanism with ASEAN to anticipate another wide-scale natural disaster?
The prevention of natural disaster is one of the priorities for Japan - ASEAN relationship. When Indonesian province of Aceh suffered tsunami in Desember 2004, Japan not only sent a donation and dispaching rescue teams, but also shipped necessary equipments afterwards to prevent another catastrophe.
And now you are helping us. Our countries are unfortunately situated in a region that is prone to earthquakes and other disasters, such as tsunami and cyclones. We have to continue our efforts to improve preparedness to natural disasters.
I think many countries in the region are getting prepared to anticipate natural disasters by sharing knowledge and conducting joint exercises. In March, a few days after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, Japan and ASEAN co-chaired the ARF Disaster Relief Exercise (DiREx) in Manado.
Our foreign minister at that time also proposed a major symposium on disaster management, which might be held later this year in Japan. We also support the establishment of the ASEAN Co-ordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Center).
I believe that those disaster management efforts will eventually enhance the level of cooperation between ASEAN and Japan.
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