[Title] Chairman's Statement of the 12th ASEAN-Japan Summit

1. The 12th ASEAN-Japan Summit chaired by H.E. Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, was held on 24 October 2009 in Cha-am Hua Hin, Thailand. The Heads of State/Government of the ASEAN Member States had a productive meeting with H.E. Mr. Yukio Hatoyama, Prime Minister of Japan. The ASEAN Leaders congratulated H.E. Mr. Yukio Hatoyama on his election. They were confident that ASEAN-Japan relations would be further enhanced under his leadership.

2. We reaffirmed the importance of our long-standing friendship and strategic partnership based on enhancing peace and prosperity in the region. We noted progress made in the Plan of Action to implement the Tokyo Declaration for the Dynamic and Enduring ASEAN-Japan Partnership in the New Millennium signed in Tokyo in 2003.

3. We welcomed the Report of the ASEAN-Japan Eminent Persons Group (AJEPG) with recommendations to deepen and broaden our strategic partnership. We tasked our Ministers and officials to study the Report and take appropriate actions to implement measures recommended by the AJEPG.

4. We discussed the global economic and financial crisis which may hinder the pace of sustainable development and community building efforts in the region and Japan's vital role in addressing the crisis. The ASEAN Leaders were encouraged Japan to support the development of an ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity and an infrastructure development fund for ASEAN. They were also encouraged by Japan's initiatives to strengthen Asia's growth and expansion of domestic demand while supporting the sectors and people vulnerable to the effects of the crisis through ODA and other measures such as trade insurance for infrastructure improvement and trade finance in Asia.

5. The ASEAN Leaders appreciated Japan's additional contribution of US$ 90 million to the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) which can be used for "Disaster Management and Emergency Response", "Emergency Assistance Related to Financial Crisis" and "Japanese Language Training Courses for Nurses and Certified Care Workers".

6. We underscored the need to continue the momentum for trade expansion and reject protectionism. We looked forward to the early entry into force of the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP) Agreement in all ASEAN Member States. We expressed our conviction that the AJCEP would further strengthen the economic ties between ASEAN and Japan and create a larger and more efficient market with greater opportunities in the region.

7. We highlighted the vital role of the ASEAN-Japan Center in promoting economic and cultural cooperation between ASEAN and Japan since its establishment in 1981. We welcomed the ratifications of the amendments to the Agreement by ASEAN Member States and Japan.

8. Japan reaffirmed its continued commitment to help narrow the development gaps in ASEAN through various sub-regional development endeavours. We welcomed Japan's initiative of the Mekong-Japan Cooperation framework and the outcomes of the Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers' Meeting on 3-4 October 2009, Siem Reap, Cambodia, under the theme of "Mekong-Japan: A Partnership for Development". We noted the convening of the 1st Mekong-Japan Economic Ministers' Meeting on 24 October 2009, in Cha-am Hun Hin, Thailand, under the theme of "Mekong- Japan Economic and Industrial Cooperation".

9. We also welcomed the convening of the 1st Mekong-Japan Summit in 6-7 November 2009 in Tokyo to strengthen the Mekong-Japan cooperative relations. We welcomed the designation of 2009 as the Mekong-Japan Exchange Year. We noted with satisfaction the commencement of projects related to the CLV Development Triangle and progress made on the project development to improve the efficiency of logistics and distribution in the East-West Economic Corridor and the Southern Economic Corridor.

10. We underscored our intention to achieve a successful and ambitious outcome from the Copenhagen Conference. In this regard, we appreciated Japan's initiative to reduce its greenhouse gas emission by 25% by 2020 from the 1990 level, and "Hatoyama Initiative" to provide more financial and technical assistance than in the past, in accordance with the process of the international negotiations. We noted with satisfaction the promotion of cooperation between ASEAN and Japan to address environmental issues through the ASEAN-Japan Dialogue on Environmental Cooperation established in 2008.

11. We acknowledged the energy cooperation between ASEAN and Japan in promoting energy efficiency and conservation as well as new and renewable energy, and stressed the need for closer cooperation. The ASEAN Leaders welcomed Japan's efforts to create a low-carbon society. We appreciated Thailand's offer for the use of the Practical Energy Management Training Center in Thailand which was established with funding from Japan to other ASEAN Member States interested in energy conservation in factories.

12. The ASEAN Leaders appreciated Japan's contribution to the fight against pandemics and avian influenza in ASEAN. They also welcomed the completion of the provision of 500,000 courses of anti-viral and 350,000 sets of personal protective equipment for all ASEAN Member States to tackle avian influenza, in addition to the existing stockpile of 500,000 courses of anti-viral and 350,000 sets of personal protective equipment in Singapore.

13. We reaffirmed our commitment to cooperate in addressing terrorism, piracy, and other transnational issues. We noted with satisfaction the on- going cooperation and initiatives to combat terrorism through the ASEAN- Japan Counter Terrorism Dialogue. We commended Japan's continued initiatives on maritime safety and environment including financial assistance and capacity-building for ASEAN Member States.

14. The ASEAN Leaders welcomed Japan's initiative on the Program for Human Resources Development in Asia for Peace Building launched in 2007 in which some ASEAN Member States had been participating with a view to enhance cooperation in the area of peace building.

15. The ASEAN Leaderes appreciated Japan's assistance in providing emergency relief and dispatching medical teams to assist the victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar in May 2008. We agreed to explore more concrete cooperation in disaster management and emergency response. In this respect, the ASEAN Leaders welcomed Japan's new contribution of approximately US$ 13 million under JAIF for cooperation in these areas.

16. We emphasized the importance of promoting people-to-people contacts and noted with satisfaction the progress of youth exchanges under the Japan East-Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) Programme. We welcomed the convening of "Japan-ASEAN Students Conference" in November 2009 and looked forward to "ASEAN 10 Countries Mix Programme" in 2010.

17. The ASEAN Leaders expressed their appreciation for Japan's continued support of the community-building efforts in ASEAN, especially in the narrowing of the development gaps. We looked forward to continuing our cooperative efforts, with a special focus on implementing the Cha-am Hua Hin Declaration on the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community encompassing the three Community Blueprints as well as the 2nd IAI Work Plan for 2009-2015.

18. The ASEAN Leaders appreciated Japan's aspiration to reinvigorate the efforts towards building an East Asian community as a long-term vision, based on such principles as "openness, transparency and inclusiveness" and functional cooperation. We recognized the mutually reinforcing and complementary roles of the ASEAN Plus Three process and such regional fora as EAS, ARF and APEC.