ASEAN-Japan bilateral trade reaches $240.9billion in 2013

Nay Pyi Taw, 26 Aug — Two-way trade between ASEAN and Japan reached $240.9 billion in 2013, accounting for 9.6 per cent of all ASEAN trade, according to a joint statement after the 20th Consultations of ASEAN Economic Ministers and the Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.

At the METI consultations on Tuesday in Nay Pyi Taw, the ministers welcomed the rising interest of Japanese business communities in the realization of the ASEAN Economic Community next year.

Foreign direct investment flows from Japan to ASEAN amounted to $22.9 billion in 2013. Japan, ASEAN’s largest trading partner after China and EU, has remained the second largest source of FDI for ASEAN, accounting for 18.7% of FDI into ASEAN in 2013.

During the meeting, the ministers welcomed progress made in the implementation of the ASEAN- Japan 10-year Strategic Economic Cooperation Roadmap, including the development of the ASEAN- Japan Chemical Safety Database, “local-to-local” cooperation between ASEAN and Japan, and Japan’s support for the Strategic Action Plan for SME Development post-2015.

At the meeting of the 1st Public Private Dialogue in New Industries, Japanese economists presented the papers on green economy, healthcare services, regional coorperations and media industry, with the discussions of Masayasu Hosumi from Bangkok-based JETRO, Akio Mimura, regional representative of ASEAN- Japan Economic Council and U Win Aung, President of UMFCCI.

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