Japan, ASEAN pledge freedom of navigation

Leaders from Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed Saturday to work together to protect freedom of air and sea navigation as they wrapped up a summit in Tokyo amid China's growing assertiveness over territorial disputes. However, a joint statement issued did not specifically mention China's recent establishment of its air-defense identification zone in the East China Sea. "We agreed to strengthen cooperation on air and maritime linkages. We also agreed to enhance cooperation in ensuring the freedom of overflight and civil aviation safety in accordance with the universally recognized principles of international law," the joint statement said. "We underscored the importance of maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the region and promoting maritime security and safety, freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce, exercise of self-restraint and resolution of disputes by peaceful means," the Japanese premier and 10 AEAN leaders said. At the summit between Japan and the 10-member ASEAN, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe elaborated his security policy to proactively contribute even further to the peace and stability of the region and the international community from the perspective of Proactive Contribution to Peace based on Japan's long-standing principle of international cooperation, according to the statement. "The ASEAN leaders looked forward to Japan's efforts in contributing constructively to peace, stability, and development in the region, " the document said. "Japan and ASEAN are true partners for prosperity. To achieve this we have to preserve peace, we have to protect navigation freedoms in the sea and sky," Abe told a joint press conference after the summit. "Since taking office my diplomatic strategy is one that involves looking at the whole world. In it ASEAN has always been a special partner," the Japanese leader said. Japan pledged USD 20 billion in aid and loans to Southeast Asian countries over the next five years to support the creation of what is to be called the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015. On Friday, Japan also agreed to expand bilateral currency swaps currency swap deals with Indonesia and the Philippines as a safeguard against a financial crisis. Since taking power in December 2012, Abe has already visited all 10 ASEAN countries to boost relations in the region. Abe also expressed concern over the China's defense zone, saying it unjustly violates the freedom of flight. "There are moves in the South China Sea and the East China Sea that appear to be unilateral challenges to the status quo. No one benefits from heightened tensions in the region," Abe said. On November 23, China unilaterally set up the zone over a large area of the East China Sea that overlaps airspace operated by Japan, obligating all aircraft passing the area to notify Chinese authorities of their flight plans and identify themselves. The new zone also includes South Korean airspace as well as Japanese islands that the US has used as firing ranges. The Tokyo summit was held to mark its 40 years of ties between Japan and ASEAN, which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.