IN-DEPTH: Japan-ASEAN Summit Leaders Strengthen Ties Amid Tensions With China

The commemorative summit marked 50 years of Japan-ASEAN relations: a ‘free and open’ counterpart to CCP’s goal for the region.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (front C) poses for a group photo with leaders of ASEAN-member nations and other participants prior to the Asian Zero Energy Carbon (AZEC) Summit, held in conjunction with the ASEAN-Japan commemorative summit, at the Japanese Prime Minister's office in Tokyo on Dec. 18, 2023. David Mareuil / POOL / AFP via Getty Images

Leaders from Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) emphasized their joint commitment to security and economic cooperation at a special summit on Sunday. The 50th ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit, held in Tokyo, signaled a growing bond amid tensions with China in the region.

Addressing the summit, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s description of the Japan-ASEAN bond portrayed it as a “vibrant community” aiming for a “free and open international order.”