ASEAN Study Group

September 10, 2009

[Research overview]
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) celebrated its 40th anniversary in2007, adopting the “ASEAN Charter” and starting down the path to becoming a full-fledged
international institution. Although praised as “the most successful regional organization in
the world,” ASEAN confronts numerous issues, none of which are easily resolved.

Theregional and international environment surrounding ASEAN has also changed greatly.
These new circumstances are characterized by progressing economic globalization, anincrease in international pressure to conform to “global standards” such as by coordinating
and unifying economic systems in line with the political values of human rights anddemocracy, the emergence of economic rivals such as China and India that could hinder thecontinued influx of foreign capital that has supported the economic growth of ASEAN
countries, economic and political turmoil in the US, which has played a major role in thepolitical and economic security of this region, and a deterioration in Japan’s political andeconomic vitality.

Changes have also occurred within ASEAN.

Even as they advocate

the ASEAN Economic Community concept, the member states of ASEAN are intent on
concluding bilateral free trade agreements with countries outside the region.

Bilateral

military cooperation with countries with extra-regional countries has also strengthened inrecent years.

ASEAN’s dream of building an “ASEAN Community” by a target date of 2015

does not appear likely to be realized easily.

On the other hand, ASEAN continues to maintain its leadership in the area of cooperation inthe Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia through the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), theASEAN+3 (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), etc.

The presence of ASEAN as a“diplomatic actor” is hardly unwelcome. Possessed of both strengths and weaknesses, theASEAN regime features co-existence of an “old ASEAN” and a “new ASEAN”; how should
this be viewed?

If we have entered an age in which the peace and prosperity of Japan will

be increasingly influenced by its relations with the other countries of Asia, then it isextremely important to shed light on the systems and policy formation dynamics of ASEAN
as one of the region’s influential actors.

This research will seek to elucidate the very “dynamics of ASEAN as a regional regime,” atopic that appears to have been overlooked by Japanese researchers on ASEAN.

Based

on these findings, Japan’s approaches to ASEAN policy in the 30 years that have passed
since the Fukuda Doctrine will be reexamined from the perspective of ASEAN’s operational
mechanisms as a regional regime, and the future of ASEAN and Japan-ASEAN relations will
be examined.

[Findings thus far]Started in June 2008, this study group will conclude with the presentation of a report inMarch 2010.

In FY2008 it held a total of 10 study group meetings, at which each member

first briefed the others on the chapter assigned him/her; that content was then discussed
among all members.

At present, each member has prepared and reported on a revised

version of his/her chapter incorporating the points for reflection brought up in discussions
this fiscal year.

A research study is scheduled to be conducted in Singapore from October,

after which a rough draft will be completed around January 2010 and a report submitted inMarch 2010.

[Study Group]
LeaderYAMAKAGE Susumu

Professor, University of TokyoResearch topics: ASEAN and Japan: the ideal and reality of
ASEAN (overview)
ASEAN as the operating mechanism for a regional regime

Members
WASHIO Tomoharu

Senior Research Fellow and Operations Division Manager
Japan Economic Foundation
Topic: ASEAN and wide-area economic cooperation

SHUDO Motoko

Professor, Tsukuba University
Topic: ASEAN and civil society

OBA Mie

Associate Professor, Tokyo University of Science
Topic: ASEAN’s external relationsSUZUKI Sanae

Research Fellow, Institute of Developing Economies
Topic: ASEAN Central Secretariat’s functions and roles

AOKI (OKABE) Maki

Research Fellow, Institute of Developing Economies
Topic: CLMV and ASEANYUKAWA Taku

Doctoral Candidate, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences,
University of Tokyo
Topic: Reconsidering the “ASEAN Way”

Members/Administrative Secretaries

KIKUCHI Tsutomu

Professor, Aoyama Gakuin University
Visiting Research Fellow, Japan Institute of International Affairs
Topic: ASEAN and politics/security – building a security
community

YUZAWA Takeshi

Research Fellow, Japan Institute of International Affairs
Topic: The ASEAN Community and the US

Observer
SUKEGAWA Seiya

Acting Manager, Asia and Oceania Division, Overseas Research
Department, Japan External Trade Organization