The following is the full text of the Joint Statement:
“Hand in hand, facing regional and global challenges”
1. We, the Heads of State/Government of the Member States ofthe Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japan ,gathered in Tokyo , on 14 December 2013 at the ASEAN-JapanCommemorative Summit to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of ASEAN-Japanrelations. The Summit was attended by Heads of State/Government ofASEAN Member States and H.E. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan.
2. We recognised the important role that ASEAN andJapan could play to address regional and global challenges andexchanged our views on issues of common interests.
Regional Issues
3. Regional Architecture: We recognised the need to furtherstrengthen regional cooperation frameworks for peace, stability andprosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and stressed the importance ofASEAN’s centrality in the evolving regional architecture through thevarious ASEAN-led processes, including the ASEAN Plus Three (APT), theEast Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the ASEANDefence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus, all of which Japan has been animportant part. We emphasised the role of the EAS as a Leaders-led forumfor dialogue and cooperation on issues of strategic importance to theregion, including political, security, economic and development issuesso as to further promote peace, stability, economic prosperity andintegration in East Asia.
4. Maritime Security andCooperation: We underscored the importance of maintaining peace,stability and prosperity in the region and promoting maritime securityand safety, freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce, exercise ofself-restraint and resolution of disputes by peaceful means inaccordance with universally recognised principles of international law,including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS).
We resolved to enhance maritime security and safetycooperation, such as information sharing and capacity building includingthrough the ASEAN Regional Forum and the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.The ASEAN Leaders also appreciated Japan ’s initiatives and activeparticipation in the efforts to fostering the dialogue with ASEAN MemberStates on maritime issues. Japan welcomed the officialconsultations between ASEAN and China on the Code of Conduct in theSouth China Sea .
5. Free and safe maritime navigationand aviation: Recognising the benefits of enhanced connectivity betweenASEAN and Japan , we agreed to strengthen cooperation on air andmaritime linkages. We also agreed to enhance cooperation in ensuring thefreedom of overflight and civil aviation safety in accordance with theuniversally recognised principles of international law, including the1982 UNCLOS, and the relevant standards and recommended practices by theInternational Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
6.Korean Peninsula : We stressed the need to maintain peace, securityand stability on the Korean Peninsula and called for thedenuclearisation of the Peninsula through peaceful dialogue includingcreating the conditions for the resumption of the Six Party Talks. Wereaffirmed our commitments to fully implement the relevant UnitedNations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions to this end. We encouragedthe Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to fully comply with itsobligations under all relevant UNSC Resolutions and commitments underthe 19 September 2005 Joint Statement of the Six Party Talks. We alsoemphasised the importance of addressing humanitarian concerns of theinternational community, including the abductions issue.
Global Issues
7. Global Economy: We renewed our determination to continueour contribution to the strong, sustainable, inclusive and balancedgrowth of the world economy. We expressed our strong expectations that arevitalisation of the Japanese economy would greatly benefit theregional and global economy. Prime Minister Abe commended ASEAN’seconomic integration efforts. We underscored the importance of effortsto achieve economic growth, address fiscal problems, and eliminateprotectionism, among other challenges.
In this regard, we welcomedthe substantial conclusion of the negotiations on the Services andInvestment Chapters of the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive EconomicPartnership (AJCEP) Agreement, and will also continue to enhance ourregional economic partnerships such as well as the RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in order to enhance thewelfare and livelihoods of the people of ASEAN and Japan .Recognising the importance of a strong multilateral trading system (MTS)in safeguarding global trade expansion that serves as a source ofeconomic development, job creation and sustainable development, we alsowelcomed the outcomes of the 9th WTO Ministerial Conference in Baliand call on its members to keep up their efforts to strengthen the MTS.
8. A Society in which all women shine: We recognised theimportance of promoting gender equality and women empowerment that wouldfoster women’s role as a development driver and improve their share todevelopment gain. In the end, efforts to eliminate gender disparitieswould result in tremendous social improvements and lead to equitable andinclusive growth for all. Therefore, we welcomed Japan ’s initiativeto create “a society in which all women shine”, as announced by PrimeMinister Shinzo Abe at the United Nations General Assembly in September2013.
9. Societal Issues: We resolved to shareexperiences and lessons, and strengthen cooperation on societal issuesemerging as common challenges, such as demographic challenges and theirimpacts on social welfare and employment, as well as problems caused byurbanisation.
10. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),post-2015 development agenda: We underlined the importance ofaccelerating the progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) andformulating post-2015 development agenda. In this regard, we welcomedthe vision to end extreme poverty in the context of sustainabledevelopment and promote issues such as disaster risk reduction anduniversal health coverage, within the framework of renewed globalpartnership. In this regard, we supported ASEAN’s decision to develop anASEAN Community Post-2015 Vision.
11. Climate Change: Weemphasised that climate change is a common challenge for regional andinternational community. We reaffirmed our goal of agreeing on the fairand effective framework under the United Nations Framework Convention onClimate Change (UNFCC). We recognised the importance of enhancing ourcooperation in the field of climate change, including the exchange ofpersonnel, knowledge sharing, and transfer of environmentally-friendlytechnology as important tools for achieving low carbon growth in theregion and in this regard, noted the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM)promoted by Japan.
12. Humanitarian Assistance andDisaster Relief: We recognised the need to enhance the capacities of theregion to be more resilient and self-reliant in mitigating the impactof disasters and reaffirmed the importance and urgency of enhancingcooperation in disaster management. We welcomed activities such as theADMM-Plus Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and MilitaryMedicine Exercise (ADMM-Plus HADR & MM Ex) held in Brunei Darussalamon 17-20 June 2013, as a landmark cooperation among the defence forcesof the ADMM-Plus countries. In this regard, ASEAN welcomed Japan ’sinterest in this area of cooperation and noted its offer to host aninformal meeting between ASE AN and Japan involving ministers incharge of defence matters to discuss this issue and othernon-traditional security challenges.
13. Sustainableutilisation and management of water and natural resources andenvironmental protection: We stressed the importance of the sustainabledevelopment, namely the crucial link between sustainable use andmanagement of our scarce natural and water resources and theenvironmental protection. In this regard, we emphasised the need to workclosely in addressing these issues in order to serve the interest ofboth ASEAN and Japan and demonstrate the common responsibility to theinternational community, and in ensuring sustainable development in theASEAN region in order to reach the objectives of the ASEANSocio-Cultural Community Blueprint, including to the realisation of theMDGs, and the fight against the Global Warming in the region.
14.Transnational Threats: We underscored the importance ofcollaboration in addressing transnational threats such as terrorism andtransnational organised crimes including trafficking in persons, drugtrafficking. We resolved to strengthen regional cooperation in enhancingcapabilities to counter these transnational threats.
15.Middle East : We reaffirmed that ASEAN and Japan would continuepositive contributions toward peace and stability in the Middle East .We expressed our concern over the continued conflict in Syria , andcall for immediate cessation of violence, initiation of inclusivepolitical dialogue and timely delivery of humanitarian assistance. Withregard to the Middle East Peace Process, we supported the ongoing talksbetween both sides and appreciated the efforts of the relevant countriesto help in Palestinian state-building efforts at the Conference onCooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development(CEAPAD).
16. The United Nations Reform: We reaffirmed theurgent need for the United Nations reform, including that of theSecurity Council. We reaffirmed our determination to work closely withother member states and relevant UN agencies to achieve this endeavour.
17. Japan ’s Proactive Contribution to Peace: We reaffirmedour commitment for the maintenance of peace, stability and prosperity inour region. In this regard, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe elaborated hissecurity policy to proactively contribute even further to the peace andstability of the region and the international community from theperspective of “Proactive Contribution to Peace” based on Japan ’slong-standing principle of international cooperation. The ASEAN Leaderslooked forward to Japan ’s efforts in contributing constructively topeace, stability, and development in the region./.
