On 29 January 2026, Ms. Prinat Apirat, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to ASEAN, joined a welcome lunch hosted by Mr. YONETANI Koji, Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN, at the Residence of the Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN, Jakarta.

On this occasion, Ambassador Prinat expressed appreciation for Japan’s continued support for ASEAN centrality and community building, including its support for the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). Such support reflects the close and long-standing partnership between ASEAN and Japan, spanning over 53 years, as well as their shared commitment to promoting peace, stability, and sustainable development in the region.

Ambassador Prinat also reaffirmed Thailand’s strong commitment to further strengthening ASEAN–Japan relations. Both sides agreed to continue to work closely together to advance ASEAN’s key priorities and translate ASEAN-Japan Leaders’ joint commitments into concrete outcomes for the benefits of the peoples in the region.

ASEAN and Japan began informal engagement in 1973. The two sides established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2023, in conjunction with the 50^th Anniversary of ASEAN–Japan Friendship and Cooperation.