PRESS RELEASES

The 28th ASEAN Transport Facilitation Working Group Meeting and Japan’s Contribution to the Meeting

14 October 2014

    The 28th ASEAN Transport Facilitation Working Group Meeting (TFWG) was held on 30 September to 2 October 2014, in Medan, Indonesia, with participation by Japan and other dialogue partners. Senior officials from all ASEAN Member States as well as the ASEAN Secretariat attended the meeting, with the chairmanship under Mr. Sugiharjo, Senior Expert Staff for Logistics and Multimodal, Ministry of Transportation of Indonesia. From Japan, delegates from Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan and our Mission of Japan to ASEAN attended the meeting.

    There were active discussions in the Meeting on various issues including:
(1) updates by respective Member States on their domestic status, such as ongoing domestic consultation, for early ratification or implementation of the related Protocols of AFAFGIT (ASEAN Framework Agreement on the Facilitation of Goods in Transit) and other ASEAN Transport Facilitation Agreements;
(2) update by the MLIT-Japan on its cooperation of the preliminary Study on Land Bridge in ASEAN mainland and Mekong corridors region, which is an initiative related to the transport facilitation under Brunei Action Plan (BAP: ASEAN Strategic Transport Plan) as well as the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity;
(3) updates by the MLIT-Japan on their ongoing cooperation project of ASEAN-Japan Green Logistics as well as on preparation for deliverables to the upcoming next ASEAN-Japan Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM-J) and Transport Ministers Meeting (ATM-J);
(4) briefing on the Project on Human Resource Development in Logistics Services for ASEAN Member States, funded by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund;
(5) briefing by EU-ARISE (ASEAN Regional Integration Supported by EU) on its planned support for the implementation of some Protocols of the ASEAN Transport Facilitation Agreements

    Given its vital role toward free and efficient flow of goods and services, cross-border transport and logistics facilitation is recognized as one of the important strategic sectors for ASEAN Connectivity and Integration, while different Member States are at different stages of development and institutional readiness in logistics. Japan will continue endeavoring to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN in this sector.