Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plan to unveil a “new vision” for cooperation when their leaders meet in Tokyo this weekend for a commemorative gathering as Japan seeks to align the 10-member bloc with its strategy for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” amid concerns over China's growing assertiveness.
The three-day special leaders’ summit, meant to mark 50 years of bilateral relations, will see the two sides launch a wide range of cooperation initiatives in the diplomatic, security, economic, cultural and social fields.
Co-chaired by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the gathering is expected to result in both a joint statement and an implementation plan underlining three main cooperation pillars: Regional peace and stability, people-to-people exchanges and the “co-creation” of a future economy and society, the latter of which will prioritize areas such as supply chains, sustainability, digitization and renewable energies.