Japan asked to import more from ASEAN nations

Japan asked to import more from ASEAN nations

JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) called on Japan yesterday to import more goods from its
seven member countries to reduce its trade imbalance.

Thai Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Amnuay Viravan,
representing ASEAN in a dialogue with Japan, suggested that Japan
reduce and -- where possible -- eliminate tariffs and non-tariff
barriers which mostly inhibit goods from ASEAN countries.

"Even though the Japanese government has recently reduced
tariff barriers for a number of industrial products, the ASEAN
countries continue to experience great difficulties in gaining
access for many of their manufactured and agricultural exports to
Japan," Viravan said in his statement.

He noted that ASEAN would welcome in particular the
elimination of discriminatory tariff treatment for similar
products imported from different countries.

ASEAN, Viravan said, would also seek the increase of import
quotas for ASEAN exports to Japan and greater transparency in the
allocation of such quotas, as well as the relaxation of Japan's
excessively stringent hygiene standards to conform with
international standards.

"On our part, ASEAN has been making efforts to improve the
quality of its exports to meet the requirements of Japanese
consumers," Viravan said.

Japan has for many years been the most important trading
partner and source of financial and technical assistance as well
as investment for ASEAN. The balance of trade, however, has been
in Japan's favor for several consecutive years.

"Japan's economic strength is undisputed. ASEAN therefore
continues to hope that Japan will be bold enough to reduce and
eventually eliminate the existing barriers to trade, particularly
in agricultural commodities," Viravan said.

On the investment side, Viravan called on Japanese companies,
especially those which have already been investing in ASEAN, to
transfer their modern technology to their local partners and
utilize more and more local parts and components in their
manufactured goods.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda reiterated his
country's commitment to the economic prosperity of the Southeast
Asian countries.

As ASEAN countries enjoy an increasing prosperity, Ikeda said,
Japan "looks forward to cooperating with ASEAN in promoting
development in other regions, including the development of the
Mekong River Basin, the implementation of the refuge settlement
and rural development project in Cambodia and the extension of
economic assistance to African countries.

"Japan expects that these types of joint assistance between
ASEAN and Japan could become a model of development aid in the
future," Ikeda said.

He also called for further dialogue and cooperation between
Japan and ASEAN to tackle problems, which are the byproducts of
economic development.

He noted that economic development in Asia brings enormous
benefits to the world as a whole. At the same time, however,
there are concerns that the impact of the rapid increase in
demand for energy and food along with the increased emission of
greenhouse gases may increase the load on the environment if
unattended.

"These issues might bear not only economic but also political
and security implications through, for example, the
intensification of competition for access to limited resources
and environmental destruction in surrounding areas," Ikeda said.
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