By Izma Rahem Zani
TOKYO, JAPAN, Thursday 14 March 2013 - The 4th Japan-ASEAN Defense Vice-Ministerial Forum, a Forum where vice-ministerial level officials from defence authorities of the ASEAN Member States and ASEAN Secretariat are invited to Japan, was held today at the Hotel Chinzanso, Tokyo, Japan. Brunei Darussalam was represented by Colonel (Rtd) Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Azmansham Pengiran Haji Mohamad, Permanent Secretary (Defence Policy and Development), Ministry of Defence, Brunei Darussalam.
The Forum was chaired by His Excellency Hironori Kanazawa, Administrative Vice-Minister of Defense, Japan. During the Forum, views were exchanged concerning regional security issues in the Asia Pacific, future of Japan-ASEAN cooperation and activities of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in 2013. This year’s Forum coincides with the 40th Anniversary of Japan-ASEAN Friendship and Cooperation.
Brunei Darussalam presented an update on the ADMM-Plus Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and Military Medicine Exercise (ADMM-Plus HADR and MM Ex) to be held on 16 – 20 June 2013 in Brunei Darussalam.
Prior to the Forum, Colonel (Rtd) Pengiran Dato Haji Azmansham, together with the other Heads of Delegations of the ASEAN Member States and ASEAN Secretariat, had a Call to His Excellency Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan.
On the sideline of the Forum, Colonel (Rtd) Pengiran Dato Haji Azmansham held bilateral meetings with his ASEAN counterparts and Japan to discuss the progress of bilateral defence relations and preparations for the upcoming ASEAN Defence Senior Officials’ Meeting (ADSOM) and ASEAN Defence Senior Officials’ Meeting-Plus (ADSOM-Plus).
The 4th Tokyo Seminar on Common Security Challenges was held back-to-back with the Forum. This Seminar is also open to the general public, where experts and defence authorities are invited to discuss themes of common security challenges in order to promote regional cooperation as well as Japan-ASEAN defence relations.