On 20 May 2020, H.E. Mr. NASHIDA Kazuya, Ambassador of Japan to Thailand, paid a courtesy call on H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand on the occasion of his assumption of duty in Thailand. Both sides discussed bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest and followed up issues discussed during the telephone conversation between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and H.E. Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, on 13 May 2020.

 

Both sides stressed the importance of Thailand and Japan cooperating at the bilateral, regional and international levels in overcoming the outbreak of COVID-19. Ambassador Nashida commended the Royal Thai Government for the measures implemented to control the situation as well as the dissemination of information on the COVID-19 situation in the English language in a timely, transparent and easily accessible manner. The Ambassador of Japan to Thailand also expressed appreciation to the Ambassador of Thailand to Morocco for the assistance in evacuating Japanese nationals in Morocco to France on 14 May 2020.

 

Both sides discussed possible areas of cooperation in the post COVID-19 period. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand proposed for Thailand and Japan to intensify cooperation in the areas of medical and health security, including research and development, investment by Japanese private sector in the production of medical supplies, vaccines and medicines for emerging diseases, as well as food security and safety, both in terms of production and consumption. Ambassador Nashida reaffirmed Japan’s readiness to cooperate with Thailand in three areas, namely: (1) the establishment of an ASEAN centre for emerging diseases and public health emergencies, on which Japan will begin to conduct a feasibility study in June 2020; (2) the establishment of Thailand-Japan Working Group on Medical Supplies; and (3) support for an emergency loan to reinvigorate the Thai economy. Both sides also discussed the possibility of easing immigration restrictions for respective nationals and business travelers of both countries after the COVID-19 situation improves.

 

On regional cooperation, both sides recognized the importance of utilizing regional free trade agreements to revitalize economies in the post COVID-19 period. Ambassador Nashida reaffirmed the readiness of Japanese public and private sectors to support and provide technical assistance to Thailand in joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement of Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and viewed that Thailand’s entry into the CPTPP will help to attract more investment from Japan and other countries to the country. Both sides also looked forward to the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) within this year to enable early utilization of the agreement.