Inter-ministerial Meeting for the Promotion of the Azia Zero Emission Community (AZEC)

[Provisional translation]

On June 19, 2024, Prime Minister Kishida attended the Inter-ministerial Meeting for the Promotion of the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) at the Prime Minister’s Office.
 
At the meeting, the participants engaged in discussions on the promotion of the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC).
 
Following the discussion, the Prime Minister said:
 
“In 2022, Japan proposed the concept of the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC). The AZEC is an initiative that will contribute to addressing challenges in an Indo-Pacific way, the second pillar of the New Plan for a ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).’ We need sustained efforts with ASEAN (Association for Southeast Asian Nations) countries toward net zero emissions, with a view to advancing the AZEC concept.
 
In the inaugural AZEC Leaders Meeting held in Tokyo at the end of last year, the leaders agreed on simultaneously achieving decarbonization, economic growth, and energy security as well as the principle of achieving net zero emissions through various pathways. Partner countries expressed high hopes for future AZEC activities. In response, we will further accelerate our efforts.
 
In August, an AZEC ministerial meeting will take place in Jakarta, and with the launch of the Asia Zero Emission Center in the Indonesian capital, we will step up our efforts from project implementation to the stage of policy coordination.
 
We will also drastically strengthen the promotion structure within the Japanese government. Today we launched the Inter-ministerial Meeting for the Promotion of the AZEC to push ahead with government-wide efforts, while newly establishing the post of the Ambassador in charge of the AZEC and assigning Mr. YAMADA Takio, former ambassador to Vietnam to the post. I would like AZEC Ambassador Yamada to take the lead in realizing cooperation with partner countries toward future leaders’ meetings.
 
We were informed that more than 350 AZEC-related projects are already under way. Going forward, we will expand the scope of cooperation to cover the transport sector, including aviation and shipping, and agricultural and forestry sector, while further enhancing support, including via the Japan Bank for the International Cooperation (JBIC), the Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
 
The relevant ministries and agencies will work together as one on transition finance to mobilize 4,000 trillion yen, which is said to be necessary for decarbonization throughout Asia, and the establishment of rules to assess carbon dioxide (CO2) reductions. I ask the relevant ministries and agencies to work together to vigorously promote AZEC initiatives under the leadership of Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Murai.”