By Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Japan will provide full support for Malaysia’s Chairmanship of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2020 as it leads the APEC process of aiming at a new vision for the 21-member economies beyond 2020, said Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia Hiroshi Oka.
In a message during a reception celebrating Emperor Naruhito’s 60th birthday at the Embassy Residence of Japan here Thursday night, he said Japan and Malaysia shared great support for each other in various areas over the years and would continue to do so as both countries have an important agenda for 2020.
“For Japan, the torch of the summer Olympics will return to Tokyo this summer for the first time in 56 years. There, we would like many visitors to witness the full recovery from the earthquake that struck Japan in 2011,” he said. Japan will host the Tokyo Olympics from July 24 until Aug 9.
The envoy, who arrived here in November last year, said there were many visible footprints of the two nations’ strong bond of friendship that has been established since the independence of Malaysia including in areas such as infrastructure, education and human capacity development as well as maritime safety.
Oka said under the Look East Policy inaugurated in 1982 and reenergised in 2018, more than 17,000 Malaysians have sought opportunities for higher education and training in Japan.
“In addition, more than 1,400 Japanese businesses are operating in Malaysia, creating 340,000 employment opportunities for Malaysians,” he noted.
He said in infrastructure, Japan has assisted in the construction of the first inter-state underground tunnel in Malaysia for the transfer of raw water from Pahang to Selangor under the Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant project completed last month.
Maritime safety is also an area of priority cooperation between the two countries.
Japan, he said, has supported the functions of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) since its establishment in 2005 by providing assets and supporting its human capacity developments.
Oka said Japan has also worked for more than 50 years with Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia to contribute to the safety of navigation in the Straits of Malacca and the adjacent areas.
