On 11 June 2019, the 12th Dialogue between the Secretary General of ASEAN and the Federation of Japanese Chambers of Commerce and Industry in ASEAN (FJCCIA) was held in Pattaya, Thailand. From the Mission of Japan to ASEAN, H.E. Ambassador Kazuo Sunaga attended the meeting and from the ASEAN Secretariat, Dr. Aladdin D. Rillo, Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN, attended it on behalf of Dato Lim Jock Hoi, the Secretary General of ASEAN.
 

1. The FJCCIA made 3 suggestions on the areas of trade facilitation, labor environment and industrial human resource development, and appropriate data government structure. The Japanese Chambers of Commerce in ASEAN member states and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) explained the details of the proposals. In response, the ASEAN Secretariat shared the current situation and future actions on the each proposal.


2. Ambassador Sunaga explained that the Japan-ASEAN Technical Cooperation Agreement, which enables the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to carry out its technical cooperation for ASEAN as a unity, was signed last month. He also mentioned that the Government of Japan is determined to continue its support for ASEAN’s economic development through utilizing such tools as Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), where additional funding was contributed this year.


3. Deputy Secretary General Rillo stated that this dialogue is very meaningful since ASEAN economic integration needs engagement of various stakeholders including private sector, in particular.