Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya expressed his country’s eagerness to strengthen economic cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, at a meeting with his counterparts from ASEAN member states in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

Iwaya stressed the increasing need to maintain and strengthen a rules-based, free, fair, and open international economic order, at a time when US President Donald Trump is imposing high tariffs.

The top Japanese diplomat described ASEAN as a cornerstone for realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific, and indicated plans to strengthen cooperation in areas including maritime security, transnational organized crime, and cybersecurity.

The ASEAN side underscored the importance of free navigation in the South China Sea and the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, with China in mind.

Later in the day, Iwaya attended a meeting of foreign ministers from ASEAN plus Japan, China, and South Korea. He expressed a vision for deepening future-oriented cooperation in a wide range of fields, including disaster prevention.

The Japanese minister also voiced concern about military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, and called for the complete denuclearization of North Korea based on UN Security Council resolutions. (PNA)