The ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meetings are extremely important as a forum where not only foreign ministers of ASEAN member states gather but also those of dialogue partners to discuss pressing issues in the region and around the world.

I have the greatest respect for the government of Indonesia for the work it has done to successfully host these meetings. I would also like to thank the people of Indonesia for their hospitality in welcoming us.

In 1973, soon after ASEAN was established, Japan became the first country in the world to start a dialogue with ASEAN. For the last half-century since then, Japan has placed ASEAN at the center of Japan's diplomacy in Asia because we resonate deeply with the challenges ASEAN faces and its efforts to bring Southeast Asian countries together to overcome differences and cooperate toward peace and prosperity.

In addition, Japan and ASEAN have developed a relationship not only as major trade and investment partners but also as true friends with “heart-to-heart” relations built through a wide range of people-to-people exchanges.

The ASEAN Council of Japan Alumni (ASCOJA) Conference was held here in Jakarta last week. Its total membership in 10 countries exceeds 50,000 people.

The Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) has also sent and invited approximately 47,000 people to and from ASEAN countries and Japan since 2007, both in person and virtually.

Furthermore, the Japan Foundation has dispatched approximately 2,700 “NIHONGO Partners” to Southeast Asia and other regions through the “WA Project” since 2014, contributing to Japanese-language education and youth exchanges. The Japan Foundation has also implemented approximately 2,500 projects in the field of arts and culture and contributed to promoting exchanges between Japan and the people of ASEAN.

In order to pass on the “heart to heart” partnership – the foundation of our close relationship – to the next generation, we will exert even greater effort in promoting these attractive cultural, people-to-people and intellectual exchange initiatives.

Over the years, Japan and ASEAN have helped each other overcome major difficulties, such as the Asian financial crisis, Indian Ocean tsunami, great East Japan earthquake and COVID-19 pandemic. We have worked together, hand in hand, for the peace, stability and prosperity of the region.

A partnership based on mutual understanding and trust that has withstood the test of time, that is the hallmark of the ASEAN-Japan partnership.

Driven by the dramatic economic development of ASEAN countries, our region is now a strong locomotive of the global economy.

It is therefore timely that Indonesia has adopted the theme “Epicentrum of Growth” as this year's ASEAN chair.

However, our region and the world are facing various challenges such as Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion in the East China Sea and South China Sea, North Korea's nuclear and missile development, and the situation in Myanmar.

These challenges not only destabilize the region and the world but also have a direct negative impact on people's lives, as seen in the soaring food and energy prices.

In order for the Indo-Pacific region to remain the “Epicentrum of Growth” it is necessary for us to work toward the common goal of leading the world to cooperation, rather than division and confrontation. The key to this goal is to uphold and reinforce the free and open international order based on the rule of law.

The ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), adopted by ASEAN, shares in its fundamental principles of openness, transparency, inclusiveness and respect for international law with Japan's approach to a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)”. Promoting initiatives in these areas is critical for upholding and reinforcing a free and open international order.

To this end, in March of this year, Japan announced a new plan for the FOIP, clearly identifying Southeast Asia as a region of importance, and declared a new contribution of US$100 million to the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), which has been supporting ASEAN countries in their efforts toward regional integration and community building.

At the same time, Japan also announced a renewal of the comprehensive Japan-ASEAN Connectivity Initiative, which promotes efforts to strengthen both hard and soft connectivity.

For the peace and prosperity of the region, Japan looks forward to joining hands with ASEAN countries to tackle the challenges that we all share today, such as climate change, public health emergencies, digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI) governance.

At the ASEAN-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting last year, ASEAN’s foreign ministers and I jointly unveiled the official logo and catchphrase to mark the 50th year of ASEAN-Japan friendship and cooperation: “Golden Friendship, Golden Opportunities”.

This year is indeed a “Golden Opportunity” to further strengthen ASEAN-Japan relations in order to pass on our long-standing “Golden Friendship” to the next generation and to jointly create a new era.

In concluding this 50th year, Japan will host the Commemorative Summit in Tokyo in December. Together, with the leaders of ASEAN countries, we would like to jointly launch a new vision for the broad direction of ASEAN-Japan relations and cooperation in the coming years.

At the ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meeting that starts today, I would like to affirm our close cooperation with ASEAN countries toward this commemorative summit.

I look forward to deepening my friendship with the many people I will meet during my stay in Indonesia.

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The writer is Japanese foreign minister