Your Excellency Squadron Leader Prasong Soonsiri
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand,
Distinguished delegates of the ASEAN countries and Dialogue Partners;
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It gives me great honor and pleasure to attend the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conferences (PMC), a gathering that is attracting ever increasing international attention as a forum for comprehensive dialogue in the Asia-Pacific region. I wish to pay my deepest respect to the Government of Thailand and all others concerned for the immense efforts that they have made to ensure the success of this meeting.

A new cabinet was inaugurated in Japan about a month ago. May I take this opportunity to make it abundantly clear that this new government will maintain Japan's basic foreign policy to date that attaches importance to our relations with Asia and actively contribute to the peace and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.

Mr. Chairman,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

The international community is undergoing dynamic change towards the creation of a new framework for peace and prosperity. Many changes are afoot in the Asia-Pacific region as well. Notwithstanding such changes, there are important pillars which we should continue to uphold for the peace and prosperity for the region. Japan intends to contribute, in particular, with regard to the following four areas.

Firstly, economic development. It goes without saying that economic development provides an important foundation for prosperity and stability in the Asia-Pacific, a region comprising many developing countries. Enhancing social resilience by assuring an economically stable life for people will be a key factor in creating political stability and ensuring peace in the region. Basic prerequisites for that economic and social development are, among others, the creation of economic and social infrastructure and human resource development. Japan intends to continue to assist, with ODA and other means, the self-help effort of the developing countries in the direction of "Take off". We also hope that more Japanese investment and technology transfer to ASEAN countries will be promoted in the future.

Secondly, the role of ASEAN. The role played by the ASEAN as a regional cooperation mechanism should never be forgotten when considering this region's economic development. ASEAN is an example of an outstanding regional cooperation and serves as a model for the various frameworks of cooperation which have since emerged in the Asia-Pacific region. Japan intends to enhance its relations with ASEAN countries more than ever before in promoting regional cooperation. The dynamic growth that ASEAN countries continue to enjoy amid the world economy beset by various difficulties is the well-deserved reward of efforts at taking full advantages of the region's rich diversity and high degree of openness. What is now important for the development of the entire Asia-Pacific region is to step up cooperative relations with neighbouring countries and to make the fruit of regional cooperation even more abundant.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The third pillar which continues to be important for the development of the region after the end of the Cold War is the presence in the region of the United States. The presence and involvement of the United States is an indispensable factor for the peace and stability of the region. Cognizant of this, Japan will firmly maintain its security arrangements with the United States, and strive to ensure their smooth and effective operation.

Finally, the importance of multilateral framework, both economic and political, has in no way diminished. In order to preserve and strengthen the multilateral free trading system in the interest of sustainable development that capitalize on the dynamism of the private sector, Japan will work for the ratification of the agreement establishing the WTO with a view to ensuring the entry into force of the Uruguay Round Agreement on I January 1995, and will contribute actively to the discussions on new post-Uruguay Round issues.

In addition, the United Nations, a universal international organization for the peace and stability of the world, has an immense role to play in the post-Cold War world. Japan believes it necessary to continue with its effort to reform the United Nations in response to the expectations of the international community, and to take on an appropriate share of responsible roles at the United Nations, making the most of Japan's experience as a nation of peace in Asia. Moreover, amid outbreaks of many regional conflicts since the end of the Cold War, the role of UN peace-keeping operations has increased, and Japan will contribute actively in this area as well. In the field of arms control and disarmament, Japan urges all countries to ensure the full implementation of the UN Register of Conventional Arms and supports the indefinite extension of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty with a view to consolidating and strengthening international frameworks and regimes for preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We also aspire to an early conclusion of the negotiations on a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty. Furthermore, in view of the importance of consolidating export control mechanisms of weapons and related materials, Japan will actively promote cooperation in this field. In this regard, the issue of nuclear development in North Korea presents not only a serious challenge to the international non-proliferation systems but a grave concern to the security of North East Asia. Japan will make every effort to solve this issue through dialogues in cooperation with the Republic of Korea, the United States, the People's Republic of China and other countries concerned.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

New issues which the region and the international community as a whole must address have been appearing with the change of situation seen in the international community today, such as economic development and growing interdependence.

Firstly, a forum for region-wide dialogue is being sought in the political and security areas. The ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference launched a regional political and security dialogue in 1992, and its importance will increase in the days ahead. The ASEAN Regional Forum, held yesterday, is a regular forum for dialogue to increase the transparency of the policy (especially, the defence policy) of the countries of the region and to enhance mutual sense of reassurance and, for this reason, is a forum of historic significance. It is most gratifying that this important forum has made a head start. It will be highly significant for the peace and prosperity of the whole world that through these processes the proper set-up for regional security based on shared perceptions and concerns will be defined gradually. Japan will promote cooperation for better mutual understanding and trust among the region's countries, and will actively participate in the efforts to nurture and enhance the security climate in the region.

Secondly, regional economic cooperation has also advanced in recent years in the Asia-Pacific region in the forum of APEC, AFTA, NAFTA and soon. These should be promoted as "regional cooperation that is open to the world" With regard to APEC, in particular, the momentum to promote it as the core of the regl'on's economic cooperation has increased, and Japan wishes to cooperate closely with ASEAN in this regard.

Thirdly, changes are underway in Indochina. The countries in Indochina are becoming a new source of development in the Asia-Pacific region thanks to the attainment of peace in Cambodia and the effort of the countries of Indochina to transform themselves into market economies and to open their markets. In addition, the recent progress of US-Vietnam relations is a welcome tendency for the Indochinese region. The development of Indochina is important not only for the Indochinese countries themselves but also for the international community as a whole and is a task which we should address in cooperation with each other. Japan intends to contribute to the development of the countries of Indochina as a whole comprehensively, in collaboration with ASEAN countries and other countries and international organizations. A meeting of the Comprehensive Development Forum for Indochina, for which preparations are underway, should prove useful to this end. In addition, the attainment of peace in Cambodia being the result of efforts of the international community as a whole, it is crucially important to ensure that progress continues from the global point of view. However, the problem of the Pol Pot faction still persists, and the international community should continue to give the Royal Cambodian Government its support in all appropriate ways.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The above are not the only new challenges or issues that confront the international community. A fourth new issue is a problem facing mankind which the whole International community must address.

Issues of human rights should be approached in the most effective way, always bearing in mind the uniqueness and diverse historical, cultural and religious background of the countries and areas concerned. However, human rights enshrine a universal value common to all mankind, and must be respected regardless of the political, economic and social circumstances of a country, Respect for human rights provides the underpinning for world peace. In this area of human rights as welt, Japan will actively promote international cooperation, working together with other countries.

Issues on global concern, such as environment,drugs and refugees, are of vital importance for the entire humankind, and it is urgently necessary to work to ensure that both developed and developing countries address them together energetically. In particular, there is the issue of ensuring that economic development and environmental conservation shag be compatible. Japan will follow up actively on the UN Conference on Environment and Development by expanding and enhancing its environment-related ODA, with the aim of providing this type of ODA in the range of 9 hundred to 1 thousand billion yen during the five-year period beginning in fiscal year 1992. Japan also intends to work with ASEAN countries to protect the region's environment.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

ASEAN has, since its establishment more than a quarter century ago, changed greatly in character. ASEAN-Japan relationship has also changed with the times. Of paramount significance is the growing importance of one for the other -- ASEAN and Japan -- which likely will make them increasingly valuable partners for each other. Japan regards ASEAN as a central actor of ever-growing importance in this region, and intends to nurture relations as "a friend who walks together side by side with ASEAN".

Thank you.