New Japanese Foreign Minister meets ASEAN counterparts

Record ID: 905460

  • Title: New Japanese Foreign Minister meets ASEAN counterparts
  • Date: 6th August 2017
  • Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (AUGUST 6, 2017) (HOST BROADCASTER POOL) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** (MUTE) ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS AND JAPAN FOREIGN MINISTER TARO KONO WALKING TO STAGE (MUTE) KANO AND ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS INTERLOCKING HANDS BEFORE STEPPING DOWN FROM STAGE (MUTE) BRUNEI SECOND MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE LIM JOCK SENG TAKING SEAT (MUTE) FOREIGN MINISTERS TAKING SEATS MEETING IN PROGRESS LAOS FOREIGN MINISTER SALEUMXAY KOMMASITH AND MALAYSIA FOREIGN MINISTER ANIFAH AMAN SITTING KONO SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) JAPAN FOREIGN MINISTER, TARO KONO, SAYING: "Japan has been steadily contributing to ASEAN's sustainable growth through the development of quality infrastructure that meets international standard, and human resource development in a wide range of areas spanning from education to industry." (MUTE) MEETING IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 20th August 2017 11:55
  • Keywords: Taro Kono Japan foreign ministers ASEAN bilateral
  • Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • City: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016T0OJET
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Newly-appointed Japanese foreign minister Taro Kono met with counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for multilateral talks on Sunday (August 6), and stressed the importance of Tokyo's infrastructure development in the region.
    Japan has been aggressively stepping up its strategic infrastructure development in Southeast Asia, particularly on the region's railway projects, to compete against China's growing influence in the region. The ARF is Kono's first official trip following his appointment as Japan's new foreign minister after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet reshuffle earlier in the week.
    Japan is among the 27 nations attending the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) on Monday (August 7), where the ministers are expected to discuss issues of mutual interests. North Korea's recent missile test is expected to be on the spotlight, while the issue on the South China Sea will take a back seat.
    The Philippines, this year's chair, is expected to seek an agreement in Southeast Asia on ways to engage with North Korea following pressure from the United States to isolate Pyongyang over its recent missile tests. A senior foreign ministry official told Reuters North Korea's expected response at the meeting will be to maintain that its nuclear weapons programme is a self-defence measure.
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