Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong, who is on an Official Visit to Japan, had a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on 26 May 2023. Deputy Prime Minister Wong and Prime Minister Kishida reaffirmed the excellent ties between Singapore and Japan and took stock of the progress made in bilateral cooperation. They also discussed ways to take bilateral relations forward, including through greater cooperation on issues of mutual interest such as digitalisation and the green economy.

Deputy Prime Minister Wong and Prime Minister Kishida also discussed key regional and international developments and reaffirmed the importance of maintaining an open, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture, including by tapping on the potential synergies between the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) Plan.

Deputy Prime Minister Wong also welcomed Japan's efforts to deepen its ties with ASEAN and looked forward to the upgrade of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as both sides mark the 50^th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation. He expressed confidence that the upcoming ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit to be held later this year in Tokyo will be a success.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

26 MAY 2023