50th Year of ASEAN-Japan
Friendship and CooperationInitiatives by the Prime Minister

50 years of ASEAN-Japan Relations

• 1973

  Japan-ASEAN Synthetic Rubber Forum

  Over the past 50 years, since the dialogue on synthetic rubber in 1973, Japan and ASEAN have worked closely together for the peace, stability, development and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.

  

• 1977

  Announcement of the Fukuda Doctrine

  In 1977, Prime Minister FUKUDA Takeo visited the Philippines and announced the Fukuda Doctrine, which would later become the principles of ASEAN diplomacy. That same year, the first ASEAN-Japan Summit was held in Kuala Lumpur, followed by the ASEAN-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in 1978, which has since become a regular meeting. This relationship has become the foundation of ASEAN-Japan friendship, making Japan one of the most important dialogue partners for ASEAN.

  

• 2008

  ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

  The ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement entered into force in 2008.

• 2013

  Announcement of the Five Principles of Japan’s ASEAN Diplomacy

  In 2013, which marked the 40th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, Prime Minister ABE Shinzo announced the Five Principles of Japan’s ASEAN Diplomacy.

  

• 2013

  Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation and its Implementation Plan

  At the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit held in Tokyo in December, the leaders of Japan and ASEAN adopted the Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation and its Implementation Plan. They declared that Japan and ASEAN Member States would promote cooperation based on the four pillars of “Partners for Peace and Stability,” “Partners for Prosperity,” “Partners for Quality of Life,” and “Heart-to-Heart Partners.”

  

• 2013

  Joint Statement on Regional and Global Issues

  Concurrently, ASEAN and Japan adopted the Joint Statement on Regional and Global Issues to express their common understanding of regional and global issues from the perspective of “Japan-ASEAN relations in the world.”
  In 2023, ASEAN and Japan will celebrate 50th year of friendship and cooperation. Building on the strong partnership described above, Japan and ASEAN are expected to further strengthen their friendship and cooperative relationship.