"I propose three things to strengthen ASEAN-Japan," Edano said as he opened an ASEAN-Japan session of the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit held as part of the ASEAN Summit here on Friday.
The first thing was formation of strategic economic partnership in East Asia which would spur economic growth in the region by integrating trade to ensure smooth flow of goods and services, he said.
By integrating trade, many Asian countries including China and India would be integrated, he said.
The second thing was that Japanese aid should be used to build either hard or soft infrastructures, he said.
The infrastructures included formation of an ASEAN center for disaster prevention, he said.
"We have done it with Vietnam and will expand it with the entire ASEAN region," he said.
The third thing was the need for both sides to maintain sustainable growth in view of many challenges ahead that could be dealt with by implementing a concept of sustainable growth in all parts of the region, he said.
He further said his ministry would organize a roadshow in April 2012 to attract Japanese investment expected to strengthen mutual understanding between Japan and ASEAN.
"I hope we could encourage economic growth," he said.
ASEAN and Japan signed a framework of comprehensive economic cooperation agreement in Bali, Indonesia, on October 8, 2008.
Japan is one of ASEAN`s most important trade partners. Two-way trade between ASEAN and Japan hit all the time high of US$160 billion in 2009.
ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) groups Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
(T.M040/S012/HAJM/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
