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The First Day of the ASEAN+3, Japan-ASEAN and East Asia Summit (EAS) Summit Meetings


Sunday, January 14, 2007
Photograph of Prime Minister Abe shaking hands with Premier Wen of China Photograph of the Japan-China Summit Meeting Photograph of the leaders of Japan, China and South Korea shaking hands
Photograph of the Japan-China-South Korea Summit Meeting Photograph of the leaders of Japan and ASEAN Photograph of the leaders at the ASEAN+3 Summit Meeting


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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived at Cebu Island in the Republic of the Philippines to participate in the East Asia Summit (EAS) and other summit meetings.

In the afternoon, Prime Minister Abe held a meeting with Mr. Wen Jiabao, the Premier of the State Council of China (People's Republic of China). At the meeting, the two leaders confirmed that they would promote exchanges between Japanese and Chinese leaders, including Premier Wen's visit to Japan. They also confirmed their agreement to hold economic ministers' meetings and that they would pursue an early resolution to the resource development issue in the East China Sea by directing it toward a joint development scheme. Concerning the situation surrounding North Korea, Prime Minister Abe said, "The latest round of the Six-Party Talks unfortunately failed to make substantial progress because North Korea stuck to financial issues that were not essentially related to its nuclear development issues. I would like China to urge North Korea to change its attitude." Premier Wen responded by saying, "I would like to promote our cooperation at the Six-Party Talks." The two leaders thus confirmed that their countries would closely cooperate in this regard.

Afterwards, Prime Minister Abe held a meeting with Mr. Roh Moo Hyun, the President of South Korea (Republic of Korea) and Premier Wen. At the summit, the first held by the three countries in about two years, the leaders discussed cooperation among the three countries regarding North Korea's nuclear issue, aiming toward the denuclearization of as well as peace and stability in North Korea. Concerning the abduction issue, Prime Minister Abe asked China and South Korea for their continued understanding and cooperation for its resolution. In terms of trilateral cooperation, the three leaders agreed on starting negotiations to conclude an investment treaty among the three countries and also on the participation by their countries' government officials as observers in the private-sector joint study on a free trade agreement (FTA) among Japan, China and South Korea.

Prime Minister Abe then held a Japan-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit Meeting, during which Prime Minister Abe asked for the cooperation and efforts of each ASEAN member for North Korea's abduction issue. This meeting was followed by the ASEAN+3 (Japan, China and South Korea) Summit Meeting, in which leaders discussed the creation of an East Asian community. Prime Minister Abe said, "We must create a region that is open and filled with vitality and innovation in order to ensure peace and prosperity in the East Asia of the future. Japan supports the efforts to create an ASEAN community that is based on universal values."