Japan's trade white paper calls for closer digital cooperation with Asean, less reliance on China

While admitting that its investment on the digital front was still inadequate, Japan said the Covid-19 pandemic provides an opportunity to ramp up investment in such assets. - Reuters

TOKYO (The Straits Times/ANN): Japan views Asean as a potential strategic partner in the crisis-proofing of its economy, whose vulnerabilities such as an over-reliance on Chinese imports and domestic manufacturing were exposed during the Covid-19 pandemic and past natural disasters.

To this end, it will connect funds, technology, know-how and business networks with the increasingly digitalised Asean, Japan said in its annual economy and trade white paper released on Tuesday (July 7).