Statement by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong SC, at the ASEAN-Japan Special Meeting of Justice Ministers Plenary Session 1

06 JUL 2023

6 Jul 2023 Posted in [Speeches]

Your Excellency Mr Saito Ken, Minister of Justice of Japan, and Co-Chair of the ASEAN-Japan Special Meeting of Justice Ministers (“AJSMJ”)

Your Excellency Dato Sri Azalina Othman Said, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) of Malaysia, and Co-Chair of the AJSMJ

Introduction

  1. Thank you for giving me the floor.
  1. Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by extending my warm gratitude to Japan, for your hospitality, and your tremendous and excellent efforts in organising this meeting.
  1. ASEAN and Japan celebrate 50 years of friendship and cooperation this year.
  1. Singapore is deeply appreciative of Japan’s engagement with ASEAN, not just this year, but continuously throughout all these years, and always thinking of ASEAN as a link.
  1. As you have said earlier in your speech, Your Excellency Mr Saito Ken, Japan has become a bridge between ASEAN and the G7.
  1. Our strong partnership has brought about many mutual benefits, so I am glad that the Ministry of Justice of Japan has taken care to organise this Special Meeting of Justice Ministers, to enhance legal cooperation between ASEAN and Japan.
  1. As fellow Asians, the Member States of ASEAN and Japan are similar in many respects – culture, customs, traits, rituals, maybe even habits. But at the same time, we are also diverse in many other areas. That diversity is a richness, and collectively, we are greater than the sum of our parts.
  1. This diversity is also reflected in our legal systems and traditions.
  1. This diversity can be our strength, if we harness it well – if we establish a common understanding, and work together to advance our society and economy.

Importance of the Rule of Law

  1. One fundamental principle that Singapore thinks is critical is the adherence to the rule of law.
  1. This adherence to the rule of law at the international level will ensure a peaceful and stable region.
  1. Peace and stability is something that we absolutely cannot take for granted, particularly in today’s times, as recent events have shown. We see rising geopolitical tensions and protectionism, friend-shoring or re-shoring taking place recently. This has threatened the normal functioning of our society and economy.
  1. Singapore therefore strongly supports a rules-based international order, that protects sovereignty, preserves peace, and facilitates international trade and investment.
  1. We participate actively in multiple international fora, such as our membership of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (“UNCITRAL”).

International Dispute Resolution

  1. We also recognise that businesses and investors need to have confidence in the rule of law, to facilitate trade and investment.

(1)They need to be assured that, if they run into a dispute, it can be resolved fairly, effectively, transparently, and efficiently.

(2) They need to be assured that they have a trusted and neutral forum to turn to, and that the outcome can be enforced internationally, through the different international conventions, for example the New York Convention, for arbitration, the Singapore Convention on Mediation, for mediated agreements, and the Hague Choice of Court Convention, for litigation.

  1. With business transactions becoming increasingly cross-border, there is an increasing need for countries to cooperate, to better support our businesses.
  1. Singapore therefore fully supports the inclusion of the promotion of dispute resolution as a key area of cooperation between ASEAN and Japan.
  1. There is indeed much we can do together, including:

(1) Raising awareness amongst businesses of the various dispute resolution options that are available.

(2) Enhancing the enforceability of judgements, arbitral awards, as well as mediated settlement agreements, so that parties have more viable choices.

(3) Enhancing cooperation between our institutions, including hearing centres, to facilitate online as well as hybrid hearings between parties located in different countries.

  1. These are just some of the preliminary ideas.

Conclusion

  1. Today’s meeting is, in my view, another step in the right direction of the partnership, and demonstrates the strength and belief in that partnership between ASEAN and Japan.
  1. On our part, Singapore is committed to furthering legal cooperation, not just amongst ASEAN – our fellow neighbours and Member States, but also between ASEAN and Japan, through the implementation of the ASEAN-Japan Work Plan in the field of Law and Justice.
  1. As we commemorate 50 years of cooperation between ASEAN and Japan, we look forward to many more fruitful years of friendship, partnership, and dialogue.
  1. Thank you, Excellencies.

Last updated on 10 July 2023