Jakarta –  The Japanese Government is enhancing its cooperation with ASEAN. Mr. Nakagawa Hiroaki, the newly appointed Principal Representative for ASEAN Coordination of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), confirmed this today during a meeting with the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Le Luong Minh at the ASEAN Secretariat.

Mr. Hiroaki further underlined JICA’s commitment to promoting cooperation with ASEAN in various areas such as trade and investment, infrastructure, education, and disaster management. He also expressed keen interest for JICA’s closer cooperation with the ASEAN Secretariat in coordinating regional cooperation among ASEAN Member States, including through initiatives such as the Laos Pilot Programme for Narrowing the Development Gap towards ASEAN Integration (LPP).

Minh acknowledged the commitment and support by JICA over the past years for ASEAN integration and ASEAN Community building efforts, contributing to enhanced relations between ASEAN and Japan. He underscored that as ASEAN is moving towards realizing the ASEAN Community by the end of 2015 and preparing for the ASEAN Community Post-2015 Vision.

“ASEAN looks forward to JICA’s continued cooperation and support”, Minh emphazised and pointed out the need to align JICA-ASEAN cooperation with the implementation of the Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation and its Implementation Plan adopted in December 2013 in Tokyo, particularly in areas such as trade and investment, ASEAN Connectivity, education, narrowing development gaps within ASEAN and implementation of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI). collaborating closely with JICA.

Photo: Mr. Nakagawa Hiroaki (l), called on Secretary-General of ASEAN, Le Luong Minh.  Photo:ASEAN Secretariat