The 18th East Asia Summit (Summary)

On September 7, commencing at 10:45 a.m. local time (12:45 p.m. JST) for about 140 minutes, the 18th East Asia Summit (EAS) Summit was held in Jakarta, Indonesia. Mr. KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, attended the meeting. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

1. EAS Cooperation
On ASEAN Centrality and Unity as well as the mainstreaming of ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), Prime Minister Kishida reiterated Japan’s positions as he explained at the ASEAN-Japan Summit held on the previous day.

2. Regional and international issues and other issues​
(1) Prime Minister Kishida stated that the international community is now at a history’s turning point, and it is even more important to realize an international community characterized by cooperation, not division and confrontation, through upholding and reinforcing the free and open international order based on the rule of law. He also stated that Japan opposes unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force and economic coercion.

(2) Prime Minister Kishida reiterated Japan’s positions on the situation in Ukraine, as he explained at the ASEAN-Japan Summit the previous day, and he also stated that Japan would promote realistic and practical efforts towards the realization of a world without nuclear weapons under the “Hiroshima Action Plan”.

(3) With regard to North Korea and the situation in Myanmar, Prime Minister Kishida reiterated Japan’s position, that he explained at the ASEAN-Japan Summit the previous day.

(4) Prime Minister Kishida reiterated Japan’s position, that he explained at the ASEAN-Japan Summit the previous day, on the situation on the East China Sea and the South China Sea as well as the Taiwan Strait while stating that Japan’s basic position on Taiwan remains unchanged. He also stated that Japan would engage itself in mutual efforts to build a “constructive and stable relationship” between Japan and China, together with President Xi Jinping, and Japan would continue to promote close communication at all levels for this purpose.

(5) On the discharge of ALPS treated water into the sea, Prime Minister Kishida also reiterated Japan’s position that he explained at the ASEAN Plus Three Summit the previous day.

3. Closing Remarks
In his closing remarks, Prime Minister Kishida stated that Japan would continue to strengthen cooperation through the EAS and other ASEAN-led frameworks.