50 Years of ASEAN-Japan, Arsjad Rasjid: Moment to Strengthen Trade and Investment Relationships

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japan partnership. ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) chairperson Arsjad Rasjid said the partnership accelerates the strengthening of economic integration and forms a free trade area and increases competitiveness in the global market.

He viewed that it will accelerate the liberation in facilitating goods and services trade, as well as investment in the region. Besides, the year 2023 also marks Japan as G7 Chair and Indonesia as ASEAN-BAC Chair.

"This is a good moment for ASEAN-BAC to strengthen trade and investment partnership with Japan,” said Arsjad in a written statement on Saturday, June 10. 

Arsjad and the delegations visited Tokyo during the Indonesia leadership roadshow at ASEAN-BAC 2023. He had previously conducted roadshows to Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei Darussalam, Myanmar, Laos, and Britain.

Apart from meeting Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Nishimura Yasutoshi, the ASEAN-BAC delegation will also have a dialogue with the leaders of the entrepreneurs association. Among them are the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), SME Support Japan (SMRJ), Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai), Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), ASEAN Japan Center, MUFG Bank, Japan Chamber of Commerce (JCCI), Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC), and PayPay.

Arsjad said as the chair of ASEAN 2023, Indonesia and Japan will also commemorate the 65 years of diplomatic relations between the countries. G7 and ASEAN, he went on, are the world organizations that are influential in global politics and economy.   

“Japan often invests in ASEAN. Japan's interaction with ASEAN is very intensive and has started since ASEAN was formed. In fact, until today, Japan is a trusted dialogue partner for ASEAN,” said Arsjad.  

Japan as a strategic partner of ASEAN, together with ASEAN-BAC, will create a stronger platform that houses Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The goal is to be able to innovate through technology and be adaptive in facing the dynamics of change. 

“We are working together with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) which is a developing and growing MSME in the region," Arsjad Rasjid remarked.

M Khory Alfarizi

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