I am honored to contribute this message to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan relations.
Thailand and Japan have forged friendship and mutual trust, as well as a resilient economic relationship, over 600 years of exchanges since the time when trade was conducted between Siam and the Ryukyu Kingdom (Okinawa). On Sept. 26, 1887, Thailand and Japan signed the Declaration of Amity and Commerce, formally establishing their diplomatic relations. In fact, Thailand was the first country in Asia with whom Japan established diplomatic relations.
Over the years, Thailand and Japan have collaborated on various cultural exchanges, economic partnerships and educational programs, fostering a deep mutual understanding and respect. Japan is an important trade partner and has been the largest investor in Thailand for many decades. At present, there are approximately 6,000 Japanese companies in Thailand. Furthermore, during times of crisis, such as natural disasters or economic downturns, both countries have consistently supported each other, further strengthening their bond. “A friend in need is a friend indeed” perfectly captures the relationship between Thailand and Japan.
Last year, to celebrate the 135th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between Thailand and Japan, both sides announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership during a visit by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to the Kingdom of Thailand for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum’s economic leaders’ meeting.
This elevation signifies the commitment of both countries to further strengthening cooperation in various fields, including politics, economics, security and culture. It also highlights the shared vision of Thailand and Japan to promote regional stability and prosperity through enhanced collaboration, including co-creating economic relations as equal partners.
The pillar of people-to-people exchanges is also a good example of our deep relations and shows the strong and growing interest in cultural exchange and tourism between Thailand and Japan. After the pandemic, travel between our countries has resumed to match previous levels. From January to September, there were approximately 630,000 visitors from Thailand to Japan and 575,000 visitors from Japan to Thailand.
In the ASEAN framework, ASEAN-Japan relations have made remarkable progress since 1973. Over the past five decades, ASEAN and Japan have worked closely together to foster economic growth, promote peace and stability, and enhance cultural exchanges. The visit by Japanese Foreign Minister H.E. Yoko Kamikawa to Thailand and three other Southeast Asian countries in October illustrated Japan’s pledge to further deepen ties with this region.
For ASEAN, Japan was the fourth-largest trading partner and second-largest external source of foreign direct investment in 2022. ASEAN also appreciates Japan’s continued support for ASEAN centrality and unity, as well as the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. This support shares relevant fundamental principles in promoting peace and cooperation with Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific initiative.
Represented by the catchphrase “Golden Friendship, Golden Opportunities,” this year is a historic milestone for ASEAN and Japan as we celebrate the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation. This milestone serves as proof that we are dedicated to building a prosperous and interconnected region for the benefit of all member countries.
Furthermore, relations between the two sides have made great progress. During the ASEAN-Japan Summit in Jakarta in September, the leaders agreed to establish an ASEAN-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership that will further deepen our cooperation in various areas, advance our long-standing and equal partnership and ensure durable peace and prosperity in the region and beyond. The cooperation areas that ASEAN and Japan can support and learn from each other are, for example, development, smart cities, health, science, education and disaster management.
I believe that the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit in Tokyo scheduled through Dec. 18 will be an occasion to further strengthen our joint efforts toward a heart-to-heart partnership. We look forward to the adoption of a new joint vision statement together with its implementation plan, which will be a guide for the future direction of our relations.
Thailand, as the country coordinator, will do its utmost to facilitate cooperation between ASEAN and Japan.
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