Japan Supports Malaysia as Asean Chair in 2025
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim Meets Japanese Counterpart Shigeru Ishiba
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with his Japanese counterpart, Shigeru Ishiba, on the sidelines of the 2024 APEC Summit in Lima, Peru, yesterday. During their bilateral meeting, they assessed the progress of cooperation between the two countries in various fields, including trade, energy transition, security and defence, maritime, education, and culture.
Support for Malaysia as Asean Chair
Japan has expressed its support for Malaysia as the chair of Asean in 2025. Anwar said that Malaysia gives priority to its relations with Japan and is thankful for the positive position taken by Ishiba in promoting bilateral relations between the two countries. He assured Ishiba that Malaysia will certainly strengthen its relations with Japan during its Asean chairmanship next year.
Look East Policy
Anwar said that Malaysia intends to continue its Look East policy, particularly in education and technology transfer. Japan is one of the first countries to support Malaysia’s industrial advancement, and Putrajaya intends to continue cooperation in this area.
Strengthening Relations
Anwar invited Ishiba to visit Malaysia as soon as possible and expressed hope that the relationship between Malaysia and Japan will continue to be strengthened, thereby attracting more investments for the progress and economic potential of the country. He also thanked Ishiba for his positive position in promoting bilateral relations between the two countries.
Trade and Investments
Japan has been Malaysia’s fourth-largest trading partner for nine consecutive years, with total trade between the two countries valued at RM156.64 billion (US$34.39 billion) in 2023. As of 2023, a total of 2,810 projects by Japanese companies have been implemented in Malaysia, with investments amounting to RM102.11 billion (US$29.67 billion).
Conclusion
The meeting between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has reaffirmed the strong bilateral relations between Malaysia and Japan. The two countries have agreed to strengthen their cooperation in various fields, including trade, education, and technology transfer. The meeting has also highlighted Japan’s support for Malaysia’s industrial advancement and its intentions to continue cooperation in this area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What was the outcome of the meeting between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba?
A: The meeting reaffirmed the strong bilateral relations between Malaysia and Japan and agreed to strengthen cooperation in various fields, including trade, education, and technology transfer.
Q: What is Malaysia’s Look East policy?
A: Malaysia’s Look East policy is a policy of cooperation with Japan and other East Asian countries, focusing on education and technology transfer.
Q: What is the current trade value between Malaysia and Japan?
A: The current trade value between Malaysia and Japan is RM156.64 billion (US$34.39 billion) in 2023.
Q: How many projects have been implemented by Japanese companies in Malaysia?
A: As of 2023, a total of 2,810 projects by Japanese companies have been implemented in Malaysia, with investments amounting to RM102.11 billion (US$29.67 billion).