SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong sent a congratulatory letter to his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi on Sunday (April 26) to mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
PM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, in his letter to Takaichi, said the relationship between Singapore and Japan has “deepened into a strong and multifaceted partnership”, noting that their economic partnership has been a key pillar.
He said that Japanese investment and technology contributed significantly to Singapore’s early development, and that the two countries are now among each other’s largest trading partners and investors after the Japan-Singapore Economic Partnership Agreement was signed in 2002.
Wong also referred to his visit to Japan in March, calling it “an important milestone”.
He noted that Japan has been a steadfast supporter of Asean centrality and regional integration.
As country coordinator for Asean-Japan dialogue relations, Singapore will continue to strengthen the Asean-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, especially ahead of Singapore’s Asean chairmanship in 2027, he said.
“We should build on the synergies between the Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific to advance practical cooperation that supports an open and inclusive regional architecture,” Wong said.
He said that both Singapore and Japan will continue to collaborate, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
These collaborative efforts will help to uphold a rules-based international order and foster regional peace, stability and shared prosperity, Wong added.
“I look forward to working closely with you and your government to take our partnership to even greater heights. I wish you good health and success, and the people of Japan continued peace and prosperity,” he said.
Wong and Takaichi announced on March 18 that the two countries have elevated their ties to a strategic partnership, in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
The strategic partnership will deepen the foundations of the substantive and multifaceted relationship between both countries, and expand cooperation in five forward-looking areas, said a joint statement issued after both leaders and their delegations met at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo. - The Straits Times/ANN
