Greetings from DISG Secretariat
Dear readers,
As we approach the end of the first quarter of 2023, we are reminded of the swift passage of time. March heralds the arrival of cherry blossom season in Japan, which draws numerous tourists from abroad who come to experience the unique beauty of Japan's four seasons. In the realm of Japan-ASEAN friendship and cooperation, we are witnessing the launch of various initiatives that involve collaboration between government and private sectors, hinting at the emergence of new cooperative relationships.
In the upcoming March newsletter, we will be highlighting such initiatives and presenting our readers with three topics.
- • ASEAN-Japan Fast Track Pitch Event in Thailand
- • Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Ministerial Meeting and AZEC Public-Private Investment Forum
- • Japan-Indonesia Ministerial-Level Strategic Dialogue
Best regards,
ISHIKAWA Hiroshi
Chair of AMEICC DISG Task Force
Executive Director, JETRO Singapore
Special Advisor to Minister, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan
ASEAN-Japan Fast Track Pitch Event in Thailand
Following the release of the "Singapore-Japan Fast Track Pitch Event" in February 2023, the "ASEAN-Japan Co-Creation Fast Track Initiative" is proud to announce that the Fast Track Pitch event will also be held in Thailand as its second instalment.
On March 4th, at the proposal of Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Mr. Nishimura Yasutoshi, the event gained the support of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Supattanapong, in collaboration with the Thailand Board of Investment and the Ministry of Energy, with the aim of early realization of the event co-hosted by PTT Group (Thai Oil Public Company Limited).
Through this initiative, startups will have access to unique opportunities such as (1) support from not only Japanese agencies such as JETRO, but also government and affiliated agencies in Thailand and ASEAN, and (2) access to a broad startups ecosystem that includes not only major Japanese companies but also major companies located in Thailand and ASEAN, offering an unprecedented opportunity.
Details on the Challenge Owner companies and their specific challenges will be announced once they are determined, and the call for proposals from startups is expected to begin. Please stay tuned for further information.
- METI will hold the “ASEAN-Japan Co-Creation Fast Track Initiative” in Bangkok, Thailand to accelerate global open innovation of Japanese companies/startups (LINK)
AZEC Ministerial Meeting and AZEC Public-Private Investment Forum
On March 4th, 2023, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry held the Asia Zero Emissions Community (AZEC) ministerial meeting. In addition, on March 3rd, the AZEC Public-Private Investment Forum was held to generate and accelerate specific cooperation in the AZEC initiative.
At the AZEC ministerial meeting, the chair, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Mr. Nishimura Yasutoshi, spoke about the importance of decarbonization in Asia, the AZEC initiative, and Japan's specific efforts. Participants including Minister of the Environment, Mr. Nishimura Akihiro, and representatives from various countries and international organizations also gave speeches on their ideas and expectations for decarbonization and AZEC.
Furthermore, a joint statement including three common understandings was agreed upon, and the "Asia Zero Emissions Community" was established as a framework.
① Achieve both "decarbonization" and "energy security",
② Promote "decarbonization" while realizing "economic growth", and
③ Develop a path towards carbon neutrality that is "diverse and realistic" based on the circumstances of each country
Following the ministerial meeting, the chair's summary was announced regarding the points to consider in advancing discussions and actions for future cooperation.
At AZEC Public-Private Investment Forum held prior to the AZEC ministerial meeting on March 3rd, Asian ministers and state-owned companies shared their respective efforts toward decarbonization and their expectations for collaboration with Japan, while 9 Japanese companies presented their technologies and initiatives for decarbonization. In addition, related support from government agencies was introduced.
Furthermore, in conjunction with this forum, a total of 28 MOUs were newly announced in a wide range of decarbonization fields, including renewable energy, biomass, hydrogen, ammonia, and LNG.
- Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Ministerial Meeting and AZEC Public-Private Investment Forum Held (LINK)
- AZEC Joint Statement (English) (LINK)
- AZEC Chair’s summary (English) (LINK)
- MOU Project List (Japanese) (LINK)
Japan-Indonesia Ministerial-Level Strategic Dialogue
On March 6th, 2023, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Hayashi Yoshimasa, held a ministerial-level strategic dialogue with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Ms. Retno L.P. Marsudi.
The main topics of the discussion were as follows:
- Strengthening bilateral relations and responding to regional and international situations in the memorable year of the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Indonesia, as well as the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.
- Both countries agreed to continue to strengthen their strategic partnership in promoting bilateral cooperation.
- Cooperation on national security strategies and other matters.
- Further strengthening cooperation on realizing "Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)" and "ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP)".
- Exchange of opinions on various challenges in regional and international situations.
- Japan-Indonesia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Japan-Indonesia Ministerial-Level Strategic Dialogue) (LINK)
Editorial Note
