The Second Day of the ASEAN+3 Summit Meeting

Tuesday, November 30, 2004

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Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi attended the Japan-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit Meeting on the morning of November 30. At the meeting, the "ASEAN-Japan Joint Declaration for Cooperation in the Fight against International Terrorism" was adopted, in which the leaders stated to cooperate in areas including information exchange on and elimination of terrorist organization's sources of finance. Prime Minister Koizumi then held separate meetings with the leaders of the People's Republic of China, Australia and the Lao People's Democratic Republic, and a summit meeting with the leaders of the three countries of Laos, Kingdom of Cambodia and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. At the Japan-China Summit Meeting, Prime Minister Koizumi and Mr. Wen Jiabao, the Premier of the State Council of China, discussed matters including Official Development Assistance (ODA) to China and the issue of North Korea. At the Japan-Australia Summit Meeting, Prime Minister Koizumi and Prime Minister John Howard discussed reconstruction assistance to Iraq and other matters. At the Japan-Laos Summit Meeting, Prime Minister Koizumi and Prime Minister Bounnhang Vorachith discussed issues such as the provision of yen loans. Furthermore, at the meeting with the leaders of Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam, Prime Minister Koizumi announced Japan's intention to actively promote the "Mekong Region Development," a proposal made by Japan for this region straddling three countries. In the evening, Prime Minister Koizumi, who had completed his schedule for his visit to Laos, held a press conference. At the press conference, Prime Minister Koizumi said, "Japan is determined to continue furthering fruitful relations in East Asia through cooperation in such areas as the promotion of Economic Partnership Agreements, the provision of effective assistance to correct the disparities within ASEAN." Regarding Japan-China relations, Prime Minister Koizumi said, "Rather than focusing on confrontation and friction, it is our responsibility to do our best to foster friendly relations in a future-oriented manner."