Yamaguchi recounts gains made from three-nation ASEAN tour

August 27 , 2023

On August 16-24, Komeito Chief Representative Natsuo Yamaguchi led a party delegation that visited the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. During their goodwill trip of these ASEAN members, the Komeito delegates met with top government officials and political leaders of those countries, including Philippines President Bongbong Marcos in Manila, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political Security Community Robert Matheus Michael Tene of Indonesia in Jakarta and Vietnam President Vo Van Thurong in Hanoi.

Citing foreign aid and various other realms of exchange between Japan and ASEAN members over the past 50 years, Yamaguchi said it was time to raise Japan-ASEAN relations to the next level. He noted that among the points raised and shared during this visit was the need to uphold international order on a free and open basis through the rule of law, as well as to continue building on bilateral and interregional exchange carried out for a half-century.

In addition to agreeing on partnering in future infrastructural projects and a maritime security initiative with the three ASEAN members, Yamaguchi pledged Komeito’s commitment to expanding Japan’s internship program for foreign workers. He said one of the program’s goals is to enable interns not only to learn new skills or to improve existing ones, but to be able to return to their home country and start up new enterprises on their own.

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