NEWS

Submission Japan’s Acceptance Letter on APTERR to the ASEAN Secretariat

On　17 April 2012, Japan accepted the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) Agreement. Mrs. Takako ITO, Minister-Counsellor Mission of Japan to ASEAN submitted the copy of Japan’s acceptance letter on the APTERR Agreement to H. E. Mr. Lim Hong Hin, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Economic Community.

The APTERR Agreement was signed during the 11th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministers of Plus Three Countries (AMAF+3) held in Jakarta, Indonesia in October 2011, in order to ensure the food security in time of the emergency i.e. natural disasters.

Japan has been working and supporting towards the realization of APTERR with other Member States and Plus Three Countries, including approximately USD 6million contribution. Japan will keep contributing to strengthening the food security in East Asia region.

This Agreement will enter into force on the 30 day after the date on which at least 6 ASEAN Member States and one Plus Three Country (Japan, China, Republic of Korea) have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval. Japan is the first country among Plus Three Countries that submitted the acceptance of the APTERR Agreement. Four ASEAN Member States (Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, the Philippines) have already ratified the APTERR Agreement.