Japan, ASEAN anti-terror meet ends

Japan, ASEAN anti-terror meet ends

JAPAN: Japan and ASEAN nations wound up a two-day closed-door meeting here on Thursday to discuss joint measures against terrorism in the region, a foreign ministry official said.

"We do not make any announcement on what has been discussed in concrete terms because of the nature of the topic which is terrorism," the official said.

On the agenda at the annual consultation were threats from international terrorism networks, cooperation to fight terrorism in the region and other issues, according to the foreign ministry.

The meeting was attended by government officials from Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) -- which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The meeting was held ahead of a special ASEAN summit meeting in Tokyo on Dec. 11-12 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the group's ties with Japan.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said last month Japan intended to join a 1976 treaty of friendship and cooperation with Southeast Asian nations, reversing its earlier reluctance. -- AFP