Japanese, ASEAN Foreign Ministers to Meet in Manila

Manila, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and his counterparts from Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries are scheduled to hold talks in Manila Sunday afternoon. At the meeting, Kono plans to stress the need to maintain maritime order based on the rule of law in the South China Sea amid concerns about China's militarization in the sea. Kono also plans to call on the ASEAN side to increase pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile development programs following Pyongyang's launch of two intercontinental ballistic missiles last month. He is also set to propose that Japan and ASEAN start negotiations on a technological cooperation treaty aimed at supporting the bloc's further integration. Japanese support measures under consideration include sending experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Kono became foreign minister only on Thursday as part of a reshuffle of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet. END