Celebrating its 54th anniversary this month, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has striven to be a relevant organization for its member states and external parties.
The truth is a bitter pill to swallow, but it must be admitted nevertheless. North Korea is now a nuclear power.
Japan has been increasing its involvement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in recent times. During the recently concluded ASEAN-Japan Summit in Manila, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN in areas including maritime security, trade and disaster relief.History of ASEAN-Japan tiesJapan is one of ASEAN’s most important partner and relations between the two have improved drastically since the end of the Second World War.
“ASEAN centrality is not a magic incantation whose mere invocation makes all our dreams come true. Nor is it an objective reality that exists irrespective of perceptions – ASEAN centrality is more akin to the sound of Berkeley’s falling tree than Johnson’s immovable rock.”Ambassador-at-Large at the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bilahari Kausikan is no stranger to eloquence when delivering his thoughts to an eager audience.
US President Donald Trump recently warned that “all options are on the table” in response to North Korea’s recent missile tests. The latest of which, was an unprecedented launch which saw the missile soar over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido before falling into the sea, 500 nautical miles off the east coast of Japan.
