Draft:ASEAN-Japan Centre

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  • Comment: Too many of the sources are not independent. We need less ASEAN and ASEAN-member country government sources and more news reportage and academic coverage. Stuartyeates (talk) 09:41, 17 April 2024 (UTC)
  • Comment: (Not sure what template to use to reply) Included more academic sources Byrnachi (talk) 07:34, 1 May 2024 (UTC)


ASEAN-Japan Centre
AbbreviationAJC
Formation25 May 1981; 43 years ago (1981-05-25)[1]
TypeTrade, Investment, and Tourism Promotion Centre
Legal statusTreaty[2]
PurposeSocial and Economic Promotion[2]
HeadquartersShin Onarimon Bldg. 6-17-19 Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan[3]
Region served
ASEAN, Japan
Membership
11 countries[1]
Secretary General
Kunihiko Hirabayashi (from 1 September 2021)[4]
Main organ
Council of Directors[5]
Websiteasean.or.jp
The member states of the ASEAN-Japan Centre

The ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC) (国際機関日本アセアンセンター, Kokusai Kikan Nihon ASEAN Sentā) is an intergovernmental organization comprising of the 10 ASEAN member states and Japan. It was formally known as the ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investment and Tourism. It is based in Tokyo.

Operations[edit]

The goal of the centre is to enhance economic partnership between Japan and the ASEAN member countries, particularly through tourism, exports and investments.[6][7] It has been described as a "dialogue partner" of ASEAN, such that it develops people-to-people exchanges between southeast Asian nations.[8][9] The centre is expected to play a role in enhancing ASEAN-Japan relations, as equal partners.[9]

Developing tourism, in particular, has been a central focus, including tourism expos and parallel campaigns to encourage Japanese people to visit member states.[8][9] The centre has promoted ASEAN tourism through the production and dissemination of promotional videos; youth and other cultural exchanges; and providing training to partner nations, in order to better attack Japanese Japanese tourists.[10] The ASEAN-Japan Centre also promotes investment in the ASEAN tourism sector through investment seminars.[10]

Since 2009, the centred has been located in the Shin Onarimon Building in Shimbashi.[6]

History[edit]

The ASEAN-Japan Centre was established on 25 May 1981 under the treaty between the governments of ASEAN member states and Japan, with its founding five members being Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Japan.[7] It was originally known as the ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investment and Tourism.[10]

1980s

The centre's founding was largely spurred by the Fukuda Doctrine which emphasized Japan’s intention to engage with the ASEAN member states as equal partners.[11] In 1977, during his visit to the Philippines, Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda introduced the Fukuda Doctrine, which later evolved into the guiding principles of ASEAN diplomacy during 1980s.[12] This doctrine emphasised three key goals: Japan’s commitment to refrain from military expansion, the establishment of a "Heart-to-Heart" relationship with ASEAN, and the equal partner of ASEAN and its member countries.[13] Fukuda said that Japan would cooperate positively with ASEAN member states in their own efforts as an equal partner, a principle which has guided the development of the centre.[9]

Shortly thereafter, the first ASEAN-Japan Summit convened in Kuala Lumpur,[14][15] followed by the ASEAN-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in 1978,[16] marking the commencement of a diplomatic friendship dialogue[17] between ASEAN and Japan, with Japan emerging as one of ASEAN’s key dialogue partners.

At this time, the key initiatives included the promotion of Japanese companies trade and investment and facilitating the Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program (SSEAYP),[18] alongside with Japanese language education.[19][20] In the later part of the decade, the Centre put more emphasis on outbound tourism, promoting ASEAN nations as a holiday destination to Japanese people. After attending an ASEAN heads-of-state meeting in Manila in 1987, then Japanese Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita pledged to double the voluntary contribution to the Centre to further promote tourism to ASEAN.[21]

1990s

But by the 1990s, the slowing down of the Japanese economy, and with it the strong growth of other East Asian economies, saw reduced activity in the centre.[22] Tourism in particular fell off as East Asian nations were affected by the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.[22] Leaders of the centre have emphasised that, in this period of crisis, ASEAN and Japan have helped each other, Japan providing ASEAN countries with more than US$40 billion in economic assistance. Even in these conditions, in 1990 Brunei became the ASEAN-Japan Centre’s seventh member.[23] And in 1998, Vietnam became the ASEAN-Japan Centre’s eighth member.[23]

2000s

During the early 2000s, the Centre underwent significant reforms to enhance its functions, following the directives of the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit in 2003.[24][25] The EPC convened twice, firstly on 31 May 2005 in Tokyo, Japan, and subsequently during 3-4 October 2005 in Bali, Indonesia, where it concluded its interim report.[26][27]

The Centre assisted 112 ASEAN companies with their tourism products for the ASEAN Tourism Festival in 2005 — the event attracted 64,000 visitors, leading to six Japanese investment missions to ASEAN countries.[26]ASEAN companies and countries received consultations from the Centre on how they might be able to market their products in Japan.[28]

In 2007, the ASEAN-Japan Centre underwent another round of reform, following the recommendations of the Eminent Persons Committee.[29][30] The changes would enable multiple approaches between ASEAN and Japan. In 2009, the ASEAN-Japan Hall was established as a meeting venue for ASEAN-Japan various events to promote trade, investment, tourism and intercultural exchanges.[31] The number of partner countries expanded further with Cambodia becoming the ASEAN-Japan Centre’s ninth member in 2001; Laos the tenth member in 2002; and Myanmar the eleventh and latest member in 2006.[23]

2010s-present

To mark the 50th anniversary of the ASEAN-Japan relationship, the ASEAN-Japan Centre hosted commemorative events including the “Japan-ASEAN Business and Investment Forum: Road to ASEAN Indo-Pacific Forum.”[32] The Centre also organised “The ASEAN Foundation Model ASEAN Meeting Plus Japan 2023,” which took place in November 2023 at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. The program was participated by 72 students and youth delegates to discuss and debate about pan regional issues, such as cybercrime, post-COVID recovery, and empowerment of youth leaders in education.[33]

In 2024, the ASEAN-Japan Centre, in conjunction with JETRO and Thailand’s Department of Trade Negotiations, conducted a workshop on the utilization of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).[34] At the workshop, SMEs in Thailand were taught on how FTAs such as the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA), the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) may be utilised.

Following the 2011 earthquake, the centre was a hub through which ASEAN countries provided Japan with a variety of assistance, including donations, relief supplies, and the dispatch of rescue teams.[35]

Member states[edit]

List of member states of the ASEAN-Japan Centre[1]

State Accession (YYYY/MM/DD)
Brunei 1990-06-08
Cambodia 2001-06-11
Indonesia 1981-05-25
Japan 1981-05-25
Laos 2002-03-20
Malaysia 1981-05-25
Myanmar 2006-04-27
Philippines 1981-05-25
Singapore 1981-05-25
Thailand 1981-05-25
Vietnam 1998-02-12

Organization structure[edit]

Governance is provided by a council which meets annually.[7] The executive is lead by its Secretary-General.[7]

Council Directors of the ASEAN-Japan Centre as of 1 February 2023[5]
State Council Director Title and Affiliation
Brunei Dr. Hajah May Fa’ezah Haji Ahmad Ariffin Permanent Secretary (Economy)

Ministry of Finance and Economy

Cambodia H.E. Mr. Yeap Samnang Director General

General Department of ASEAN
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

Indonesia Mr. Didi Sumedi Director General

National Export Development
Ministry of Trade

Japan Mr. Nakamura Ryo Director General / Assistant Minister

Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs Department
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Laos Mr. Chatoulong Bouasisavath Director General

ASEAN Department
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Malaysia Dr. Sugumari A/P S. Shanmugam Senior Director

ASEAN Economic Integration Division
Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI)

Myanmar H.E. Mr. Soe Han Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to Japan
Philippines Mr. Robespierre L. Bolivar Deputy Chief of Mission

Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Japan

Singapore Ms. Eunice Koh Assistant CEO

Asia Pacific
Enterprise Singapore

Thailand Mr. Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit Director General

Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP)

Vietnam Mr. Vu Ba Phu Director General

Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE)
Ministry of Industry and Trade

Secretariat

At present, the executive arm of the organization, led by the Secretary General, consists of the Office of the Secretary General, the Office of General Affairs and one operational department consisting of the Research and Policy Advocacy (RPA) Team, the Strategic Country Support (CS) Team, the Bilateral Programme (BP) Team, and the Tourism and Exchange (TE) Team.[5] The Secretary General is an appointed position that lasts for three years per term and may be reappointed.[2]

List of past secretaries-general
# Term Name Country
1 1981-1983 Sashichiro Matsui[36] Japan
2 1984-1987 Fumihiko Suzuki[37] Japan
3 1988-1990 Fumiya Okada[38] Japan
4 1991-1996 Yutaka Nomura[39] Japan
5 1997-2002 Takashi Onda[40] Japan
6 2003-2007 Nobutoshi Akao[41] Japan
7 2008-2014 Yoshikuni Ohnishi[42] Japan
8 2015-2020 Masataka Fujita[43] Japan
9 2021-present Kunihiko Hirabayashi[44] Japan

Funding[edit]

The budget for the ASEAN-Japan Centre is financed from both obligatory and voluntary contributions from its member states.[45] In the original 1980 treaty,[2] under Article X, it was stated that “except for the rent of the permanent ASEAN Trade Investment and Tourism Exhibition Hall, which shall be borne by Japan”, the “budget of the Centre shall be met in the following proportion: Japan: 90 per cent, the ASEAN member countries: 10 per cent.[46] In 2007, the agreement was amended to have Japan bear 87.5 per cent of the budget, with the ASEAN member countries bearing 12.5 per cent.[47]

Parallel groups[edit]

While ASEAN-Japan Centre was the first affiliate centre for ASEAN, parallel organisations have since been established in Seoul (the ASEAN-Korea Centre in 2009), Beijing (the ASEAN-China Centre in 2011), New Dehli (the ASEAN-India Centre in 2012), and Moscow (the MGIMO’s ASEAN Centre in 2010).[29]

In 2024, Australian Prime Minister and Labor Party Leader, Anthony Albanese enacted the Melbourne Declaration, in which the establishment of an ASEAN-Australia Centre in Canberra was announced. The opening of the ASEAN-Australia Centre is expected to occur in July 2024.[48][49]

In March 2023, the International Trade and Investment Coordinator for the City of Los Angeles, Sam Baron, and Aide to the US Deputy Secretary of State, Abhinav Seetharaman, wrote that the US should follow in the footsteps of Japan and India in establishing a “dedicated institution to head up its economic and cultural engagement with Southeast Asia.”[50] At the 2023 US-ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, US Vice President Kamala Harris announced the intent to establish a US-ASEAN Center through a public-private partnership with Arizona State University (ASU).[51] The US-ASEAN Center celebrated its opening on 15 December 2023 with Under Secretary of State of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs of the US Department of State, Liz Allen, delivering the opening remarks.[52]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c About: Outline Archived 3 August 2023 at the Wayback Machine, asean.or.jp.
  2. ^ a b c d "Agreement Establishing the ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investment and Tourism" (PDF). 22 December 1980. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ About: Access Archived 3 August 2023 at the Wayback Machine, asean.or.jp.
  4. ^ "Kunihiko Hirabayashi Appointed as the Secretary General of ASEAN-Japan Centre" (PDF). 24 September 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  5. ^ a b c About Us: Organization Archived 17 April 2024 at the Wayback Machine, asean.or.jp.
  6. ^ a b O'Brien, Timothy L. (ed.). "Asean-Japan Centre". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d "ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investment and Tourism | UIA Yearbook Profile | Union of International Associations". uia.org. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  8. ^ a b Farrelly, Nicholas; Alexandra, Lina; Seah, Sharon; Ngoun, Kimly (2024). "Recommendations for the future" (PDF). ASEAN and Australia after the First 50 Years. University of Tasmania: 38.
  9. ^ a b c d Mizuno, Hiroyasu, ed. (19 January 2017). "AJC: Sole agent in Japan to boost Visit ASEAN@50". The Japan Times. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  10. ^ a b c Oikawa, Keita; Iwasaki, Fusanori, eds. (August 2023). "ASEAN-Japan Economic Partnership" (PDF). ERIA. ERIA. p. 125.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  11. ^ Japan and ASEAN Pamphlet Archived 15 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine, mofa.go.jp.
  12. ^ SUKEGAWA, Seiya (15 December 2023). "A New Era of Japan-ASEAN Relations". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  13. ^ Iwasaki, Fusanori; Ambashi, Masahito; Nishimura, Hidetoshi (14 October 2022). "ASEAN−Japan Relationship as a Significant Partner" (PDF). unam.mx. NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MEXICO. pp. 110–135. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  14. ^ Japan-ASEAN Friendship and Cooperation: Shared vision, shared identity, shared future Archived 29 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine, asean.org.
  15. ^ Indorf, Hans H. (1978). "THE KUALA LUMPUR SUMMIT: A Second for ASEAN". Southeast Asian Affairs: 35–44. ISSN 0377-5437.
  16. ^ DIPLOMATIC BLUEBOOK FOR 1978 Chapter 3: Diplomatic Efforts Made by Japan Archived 5 June 2023 at the Wayback Machine, mofa.go.jp.
  17. ^ A Message in the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation Archived 11 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine, keidanren.or.jp.
  18. ^ The Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program (SSEAYP) Archived 4 August 2023 at the Wayback Machine, www.cao.go.jp.
  19. ^ ASEAN-Japan Cooperation: A Foundation for East Asian Community Archived 10 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine, jcie.org.
  20. ^ Then and Now: A Structured Approach Analysis of Japan’s Cultural Diplomacy Towards Thailand Archived 3 June 2023 at the Wayback Machine, brill.com.
  21. ^ "ANALYZING JAPAN'S OUTBOUND TOURISM POLICY" (PDF). 14 May 2006. p. 31. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024..
  22. ^ a b Lim, Guanie; Nguyen, Nhat Anh (20 January 2024). "The ASEAN–Japan relationship 50 years on". East Asia Forum.
  23. ^ a b c ASEAN-JAPAN DIALOGUE RELATIONS Archived 11 April 2024 at the Wayback Machine, wtocenter.vn.
  24. ^ The ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit Meeting Archived 7 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine, mofa.go.jp.
  25. ^ "2003 ASEAN-Japan Plan of Action" (PDF). National University of Singapore. 12 December 2003. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  26. ^ a b EXECUTIVE REPORT: PROGRESS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ASEAN-JAPAN PLAN OF ACTION Archived 1 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine, mofa.go.jp.
  27. ^ Establishment of the East Asia Economic Community (EAEC) Archived 21 November 2017 at the Wayback Machine, doyukai.or.jp.
  28. ^ "Nation branding and integrated marketing communications: an ASEAN perspective". March 2010. p. 394..
  29. ^ a b Shiraishi, Takashi; Kojima, Takaaki (5 December 2013). ASEAN-Japan Relations. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 22. ISBN 978-981-4519-34-2. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  30. ^ "Report of the 6th Japan-ASEAN Dialogue on "The Challenges Facing Japan and ASEAN in the New Era"" (PDF). The Global Forum of Japan. 1 October 2007. p. 15.
  31. ^ ASEAN-Japan Centre: Strategic Vision of the Centre and Its Activities 2019-2020 Archived 4 August 2023 at the Wayback Machine, asean.or.jp.
  32. ^ ASEAN-Japan Centre’s Commemorative Event for the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation (Attendance by Ambassador Kiya) Archived 4 August 2023 at the Wayback Machine, www.asean.emb-japan.go.jp.
  33. ^ AJC: Fostering youth diplomacy and leadership skills Archived 9 April 2024 at the Wayback Machine, japantimes.co.jp.
  34. ^ タイ商務省、日本アセアンセンターやジェトロとFTA活用ワークショップ開催 Archived 11 April 2024 at the Wayback Machine, jetro.go.jp.
  35. ^ "A New Chapter in ASEAN-Japan Relations". FULCRUM. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  36. ^ トランスポート / 運輸振興協会 編 33(8) 1983.08
  37. ^ 経済と外交 (747) (経済外交研究会, 1984-08)
  38. ^ 「ハーバード大学史－学長さんたちの成功と失敗－」を読んで Archived 10 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine, chiikikagaku-k.co.jp.
  39. ^ 国際開発ジャーナル 4月(509) (国際開発ジャーナル社, 1999-04)
  40. ^ MATRADE: The Malaysia International Trade Link, lib.perdana.org.my.
  41. ^ 日アセアンセンター赤尾信敏総長に聞く Archived 11 April 2024 at the Wayback Machine, nna.jp.
  42. ^ 日本アセアンセンター新事務総長の選出について Archived 11 April 2024 at the Wayback Machine, mofa.go.jp.
  43. ^ 東南アジア諸国連合貿易投資観光促進センター拠出金 Archived 28 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine, mofa.go.jp.
  44. ^ 国際機関日本アセアンセンターの事務総長に平林国彦が着任 Archived 3 August 2023 at the Wayback Machine, mofa.go.jp.
  45. ^ "The ASEAN-Japan Centre can be a Model for Washington's New 'ASEAN Center' < Sasakawa USA". Sasakawa USA. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  46. ^ "1980 Agreement on Establishing the ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investment and Tourism". National University of Singapore. 1980.
  47. ^ "2008 Amendments to the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investment and Tourism (ASEAN-Japan Centre)" (PDF). 20 November 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  48. ^ ‘Melbourne Declaration’ affirms ASEAN and Australia partnership for the future Archived 17 March 2024 at the Wayback Machine, pm.gov.au.
  49. ^ Labor promises ASEAN studies centre and Asian language learning Archived 18 May 2022 at the Wayback Machine, campusmorningmail.com.au.
  50. ^ U.S. needs its own 'ASEAN center' Archived 30 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine, asia.nikkei.com.
  51. ^ Establishment of a U.S.-ASEAN Center in Washington, D.C. Archived 15 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine, state.gov.
  52. ^ UNDER SECRETARY ALLEN OPENS THE U.S.-ASEAN CENTER IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Archived 16 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine, asean.usmission.gov.
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