Japan's cooperation with ASEAN 2025 (Counter-Terrorism)

February 2016

1. Overview


Whatever the reason, terrorism can never be justified and should be decisively condemned. It is important for the international community to be of one accord in carrying out counter-terrorism measures amid an escalation in terror threats from ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) over the past few years in addition to the activities of the international terrorist organization ‘Al Qaeda’ and its related organizations.


The joint declaration ‘ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together’ that was adopted at the ASEAN Summit in November 2015 states that the ASEAN Community embraces tolerance and moderation, fully respects the differences in religions, cultures and languages, upholds common values in the spirit of unity in diversity as well as addresses the threat of violent extremism. Furthermore, the declaration states that the Community adopts a comprehensive approach to security which enhances the ASEAN Community’s capacity to address effectively and in a timely manner existing and emerging challenges, including transnational crimes.


In addition, ASEAN 2025 lists the following actions to realize its objectives: cooperate on preventing radicalization through exchange of experiences on deradicalization, rehabilitation and re-education; cooperate on suppressing the flow of foreign terrorist fighters; develop the capacity to counter money laundering; implement and strengthen counter-terrorism laws through international workshops and seminars; strengthen cooperation with Dialogue Partners and international organizations; and intensify information sharing on terrorists and transnational crime organizations.



2. Japan’s cooperation with ASEAN


Japan has worked together with ASEAN, a long standing partner to Japan, in countering terrorism.


In November 2004, ‘ASEAN-Japan Joint Declaration for Cooperation in the Fight against International Terrorism’ was adopted at the Japan-ASEAN Summit that emphasized the enhancing of cooperation on counter-terrorism. ‘ASEAN-Japan Joint Declaration for Cooperation to Combat Terrorism and Transnational Crime’ was adopted at the Japan-ASEAN Summit held in November 2014, in which the two parties emphasized the strengthing of cooperation at bilateral, regional and international levels in preventing and combating terrorism.


At the Japan-ASEAN Summit held in November 2015, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated that Japan would further deepen its cooperation with ASEAN in combating terrorism and transnational crimes, including violent extremism.


To date, Japan has worked together with ASEAN member states in the field of counter-terrorism in undertaking the initiatives outlined below:


(1) Japan-ASEAN dialogues and other activities


The ‘ASEAN-Japan Counter-Terrorism Dialogue’ (ambassadorial level) has been held since 2006 following the agreement made at the Japan-ASEAN Summit held in December 2005 for the purpose of exchanging frank views with ASEAN focusing on terrorism.


Japan has also held the biennial ‘ASEAN Plus Japan Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC + Japan)’ starting in 2013 and launched the Shared Database of Websites related to terrorism (SDWAN), among other concrete cooperation activities.


(2) Projects under the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF)


In 2013, Prime Minister Abe stated that Japan would contribute a further 100 million dollars in total for ‘JAIF 2.0’ at the Japan-ASEAN Commemorative Summit that marked the 40th anniversary of Japan-ASEAN Friendship and Cooperation. Counter-terrorism is listed as one of the key points under ‘JAIF 2.0’. To date, Japan has utilized the fund to support initiatives such as holding a seminar on ‘Comparative Research on Youth and Terrorism in Southeast Asia’ and publishing books on counter-radicalization.



Publication of a book on combating radicalization utilizing JAIF
(Translation of an Arabic book into English)


(3) ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)


The ARF has intensified its efforts on counter-terrorism through setting up, for example, the ‘ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting (ISM) on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime’ in 2001 as a permanent forum that has had specific annual agendas. Japan has been actively participating in efforts towards enhancing cooperation on counter-terrorism through the ARF framework.



Japan intends to further enhance our cooperation in the coming future by working closely with ASEAN member states towards preventing terrorism based on the spirit of ‘moderation in all things’.