OSAKA, ASEAN has declared its readiness to upgrade its free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan, aiming to refresh the long-standing pact to reflect today’s economic landscape.
ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General for the Economic Community Satvinder Singh said the ASEAN–Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP), signed in 2008, needs to be updated in line with evolving market realities.
“The current FTA was designed decades ago. The timing is right for a review, much like how we have upgraded agreements with other major partners,” he said at a joint press conference with Malaysia’s Investment, Trade and Industry Minister, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Satvinder highlighted ASEAN’s recent success in modernising trade agreements with China, Australia, New Zealand, and India — adding new focus areas such as e-commerce, innovation, sustainability, and global supply chain resilience.
“Japan should naturally be one of ASEAN’s priorities in the coming years. We are ready to engage whenever Japan is ready,” he noted, adding that current global economic challenges make such an upgrade even more valuable.
He said ASEAN fits seamlessly into Japan’s global strategy, especially in supporting supply chain diversification, and pointed to growing interest from Japanese companies in strengthening their business presence in the region.
Meanwhile, Tengku Zafrul said the upcoming Expo 2025 Osaka offers an ideal opportunity for ASEAN to highlight its identity, diversity, and unity on the world stage.
“We look forward to welcoming Japan to the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting in September and the ASEAN Leaders’ Summit in October. Continuous dialogue builds trust, and that trust paves the way for a stronger ASEAN and a better Asia for future generations,” he said.
