Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japan reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region during the 28th ASEAN-Japan Summit held in the Malaysian capital.
In a joint statement adopted at the close of the meeting, both sides underscored their resolve to “further promote, mainstream and implement the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP)”, emphasizing the need to uphold international law and maintain an open, transparent, and rules-based regional order.
The declaration acknowledged that global and regional challenges are increasingly interconnected, calling for stronger cooperation to address them collectively. ASEAN and Japan reaffirmed their dedication to promoting inclusive growth, narrowing the development gap, and supporting ASEAN’s role as the “epicentre of growth in the Indo-Pacific.”
The statement recognized Japan’s early and full support for the AOIP, including its cooperation under the 2020 Joint Statement of the 23rd ASEAN-Japan Summit, which helped expand backing for the AOIP among ASEAN’s external partners.
Both parties highlighted the complementary nature of Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision and ASEAN’s AOIP framework, stressing shared values such as transparency, inclusiveness, and adherence to international law.
The joint communiqué reaffirmed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between ASEAN and Japan, building on the Joint Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation adopted in Tokyo in 2023.
“We reaffirm our unwavering support for the objectives and principles of the AOIP in support of ASEAN Centrality and unity,” the leaders declared.