‘Cooperation is expanding beyond traditional areas’
Japan-Malaysia relations have expanded beyond traditional areas and Tokyo is hopeful that cooperation will continue in line with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement inked by the two countries last year.
Japan’s ambassador, Katsuhiko Takahashi, pointed to the visit by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to Malaysia followed by Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Japan the following month.
“The highlight of Datuk Seri Anwar’s visit to Japan was the upgrading of the Japan-Malaysia relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
“Other outcomes include signing of the Exchange of Notes for the Official Security Assistance and the launch of the Strategic Dialogue.
“Our two countries also signed cooperation documents in the fields of communication and space — an indication that our cooperation is expanding beyond traditional areas,” he said on Tuesday night at a reception hosted by the Embassy of Japan.
On space cooperation, Takahashi was referring to an exchange of memorandum of cooperation on Space Development and Application between the Malaysian Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency signed last December.
Takahashi, at the reception held to honour Emperor Naruhito’s birthday tomorrow, said he was pleased that apart from mutual visits at the leaders’ level, there had been other high-level visits to both public and private sectors such as ministers, prefectural governors and a business mission led by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The reception was attended by over 500 guests, officials, diplomatic representatives and dignitaries, including Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Islandariah; Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, and Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.
Takahashi also elaborated on the progress in education, tourism and investment areas seen as top of his priorities.
“This year, we are expecting the opening of a branch campus of the University of Tsukuba in Malaysia — a major milestone in our educational cooperation.
“We will also continue to promote the attractiveness of Japan to the Malaysian people, as we want to more Malaysians to visit Japan,” he said.
On the economic front, he urged higher investments not only from Japan to Malaysia, but also from Malaysia to Japan.
“Japan is an excellent investment destination as the market size is large. It also has the world’s best human resource base and competitiveness in R&D,” he said.