FJCCIA and ASEAN Secretary-General Discuss Partnership
Overview
On September 18, 2026, the Federation of Japanese Chambers of Commerce and Industry in ASEAN (FJCCIA) held a dialogue with ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn in Manila, Philippines. To help realize ASEAN Community Vision 2045, FJCCIA proposed cooperation across four pillars: supply chains, the green economy, the digital economy, and inclusive growth. The FJCCIA Survey 2026 highlighted member companies’ regional ties and investment within ASEAN, as well as requests to revise AJCEP. JETRO coordinated and supported the dialogue and introduced future cooperation initiatives.
Key points
- At its annual dialogue with the ASEAN Secretary-General, FJCCIA proposed action in four areas to help realize ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
- The survey received 1,041 valid responses, and more than 90% of respondent companies called for revision of the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP).
- As of August 2026, FJCCIA comprised 7,420 companies and was described as the largest federation within ASEAN.
Overview
Against a backdrop of rising uncertainty, including fragmentation of high-tech supply chains amid U.S.-China tensions and logistics disruptions caused by the Middle East situation, FJCCIA held a dialogue in Manila with ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn. Participants included representatives of the Philippine-Japan Chamber of Commerce, whose members hold the FJCCIA chairmanship this year, as well as representatives of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
The dialogue took place at a turning point: ASEAN had completed the AEC Blueprint 2025 with a high rate of achievement and was moving to ASEAN Community Vision 2045 (ACV 2045), which looks ahead to the next 20 years. FJCCIA said Japanese companies aim to build prosperity in 2045 together with ASEAN as “ASEAN citizens” rooted in the region.
Impact
FJCCIA aims to help strengthen ASEAN’s competitiveness through cooperation in each of the proposed areas.
Details
FJCCIA made proposals under four pillars. Pillar 1 was “Upgrading Supply Chains and Strengthening Connectivity”; Pillar 2, “Green Economy (GX) and Building a Sustainable Industrial Base”; Pillar 3, “Digital Economy, Innovation, and AI Governance”; and Pillar 4, “Inclusive Growth and Advancing People-to-People Connectivity.” Cooperation priorities included institutional and digital connectivity, decarbonization, a region-wide power grid, trusted free flow of data (DFFT), and mobility of highly skilled talent within the region.
The FJCCIA Survey 2026 was conducted among member companies and received 1,041 valid responses. Approximately 77% of companies engaged in production sharing, imports and exports, or coordination among locations with ASEAN member states other than the country where they were based. Some 48% said the strategic importance of their ASEAN locations had risen compared with five years earlier, while 52% were implementing or considering expanded investment. Partnerships with local companies were reported by approximately 63%, and 81% of companies appointed local personnel to management or department head roles.
JETRO coordinated the dialogue as an intermediary connecting Japanese companies operating in ASEAN, the ASEAN Secretariat, and other stakeholders, and has supported its operation since the framework began. Senior Executive Vice President Susumu Kataoka introduced four areas: strengthening and diversifying supply chains, green sectors, innovation including AI and digital technology, and inclusive growth. He also mentioned the ASEAN-Japan Fast Track Pitch and a forum where young business leaders from Japan and ASEAN share strengths and challenges.
The dialogue was held in person alongside meetings related to the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting. FJCCIA comprises members of Japanese chambers of commerce and industry in 10 ASEAN countries and has held an annual dialogue with the ASEAN Secretary-General since 2008.