Japan will cooperate with Malaysia to maintain peace in South China Sea, Indo-Pacific - Japanese FM

KUALA LUMPUR: To ensure the prosperity and stability of the international community, Japan is promoting concrete cooperation with Malaysia and other countries in realising the principles of "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" (FOIP), where many of its essential principles are shared by ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said the regional security environment is becoming increasingly severe, especially in view of North Korea's nuclear and missile development and unilateral attempts to change the status quo with the use of force in the East China Sea and South China Sea.

"The development of Japan and Malaysia, both democracies and trading and maritime nations, has been enabled by a free and open international order based on the rule of law. With this in mind, Japan is promoting efforts to realise a FOIP".

Elaborating further, he said Japan is looking forward to also revitalise the East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), of which Malaysia is also a member.

"We would like to work hand in hand with Malaysia toward regional security and prosperity including cooperation in the Sulu-Celebes Sea and surrounding areas, which are economically and socially vulnerable with frequent piracy, terrorism and natural disasters.

"I see great potential in this cooperation's future, " said Hayashi.

Hayashi told this to Bernama in his written interview in conjunction with his two-day visit to Malaysia from Saturday (Oct 8) to strengthen the bilateral relationship in light of the 65th anniversary of Malaysia-Japan diplomatic relations and also the 40th anniversary of the Look East Policy (LEP).

As both countries will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Japan-ASEAN Friendship and Cooperation next year, Hayashi added that his country is looking forward to deepening the existing cooperation with the 10-member regional bloc.

Malaysia and Japan upgraded their relations from Enhanced Partnership to Strategic Partnership in 2015, when Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Malaysia as Foreign Minister.

Japan is one of Malaysia's top foreign direct investment (FDI) insources in terms of implemented manufacturing projects, with a total investment value of US$688 million (RM3.03 billion) recorded from January to June this year.

-- BERNAMA