According toJapanese news agency Kyodo, during the meeting, Chief Cabinet SecretaryYoshihide Suga said that it is important to build a new regional economic order– referring to the ongoing negotiations involving Japan, Thailand and 14 otherAsia-Pacific countries towards an ambitious free trade deal, called theRegional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
With Thailand havingexpressed its readiness to join the 11-member Trans-Pacific Partnership freetrade accord, Suga also said such a framework is closely linked to Japan’s freeand open Indo-Pacific strategy.
Thailand’sdelegation, including a number of economic ministers, was led by Deputy PrimeMinister Somkid Jatusripitak.
Citing an agreementon Japan’s support to build a high-speed railway system connecting Thailand’scapital and the major northern city of Chiang Mai, reached in the previousmeeting last year, Somkid said the project “helped bring Japan and Thailandcloser together.”
Suga also expressedJapan’s gratitude for Thailand’s donations worth 5 million THB (150,000 USD) inthe wake of recent deadly torrential rains that devastated western Japan andclaimed the lives of more than 200 people. -VNA