Japan vows to work with ASEAN to maintain int’l order

 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on June 5 pledged to cooperate with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to maintain an open and free international order in the Indian Ocean and Pacific regions.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in his meeting with ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh, Abe revealed Tokyo’s hope to support the group in the economic field and consolidate the Japan-ASEAN bonds through boosting mutual understanding with cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Minh told the host that contributions made by Japan to political and security fields are part of the country’s continuous support for ASEAN over the past 50 years since its establishment in 1967.

The ASEAN Secretary General is in Japan to attend the 23rd International Conference on the Future of Asia.-VNA