- The Thirty-second ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) – Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Consultation was held on 20 September 2026 in Manila, Philippines. The Consultation was co-chaired by H.E. Ma. Cristina A. Roque, Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines and H.E. Ryosei Akazawa, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.
- The Meeting noted that according to ASEAN’s preliminary statistics, total two-way merchandise trade between ASEAN and Japan reached USD 245.4 billion in 2025, while foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows from Japan into ASEAN amounted to USD 9.5 billion in the same year. These figures placed Japan as ASEAN’s five-largest trading partner and five-largest source of FDI last year.
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