January 15, 2026 Results of the 5^th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting with Japan

On Thursday, January 15, 2026, the 5^th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting with Japan (ADGMIN+Japan) was held in Viet Nam. Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, attended the meeting as the head of Japan’s delegation and proposed the ASEAN-Japan Digital Work Plan 2026 on cooperation and collaboration measures between ASEAN and Japan in the ICT field for 2026, which was welcomed at the meeting. In addition, the “ASEAN-Japan Digital Ministers’ Joint Statement on Promoting Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence” was adopted to deepen ASEAN-Japan cooperation in the field of AI.

1. Meeting overview

The ADGMIN+Japan is the only ministerial-level meeting where ICT ministers from ASEAN Member States and Japan meet to decide on initiatives and cooperation in the ICT sector.
On Thursday, January 15, 2026, the 5^th ADGMIN+Japan was held in Viet Nam, and Minister HAYASHI attended the meeting from Japan side.

2. Summary of meeting results

Minister for Science and Technology of Viet Nam chaired the ADGMIN+Japan with Minister HAYASHI as the Co-Chair.
At the meeting, Minister HAYASHI proposed the ASEAN-Japan Digital Work Plan 2026 on cooperation and collaboration measures between Japan and ASEAN in the ICT field for 2026, which was welcomed by the participants. Japan presented the Work Plan, highlighting the promotion of AI cooperation with ASEAN including holding the 2^nd in-person meeting of the Hiroshima AI Process Friends Group, cooperation on large language model (LLM) development and human resource development in each ASEAN member state. Additionally, the Work Plan includes initiatives to further expand capacity building support in cybersecurity and efforts to promote the development of digital infrastructure in the ASEAN region including the deployment of Open RAN. The Work Plan was supported by the ASEAN member states.
Moreover, following the adoption of the “ASEAN-Japan Digital Ministers’ Joint Statement on Promoting Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence,” Japan, in collaboration with ASEAN, will enhance concrete AI cooperation toward building not only AI ecosystems in each ASEAN member states, but also a global AI ecosystem.

(For reference)
ASEAN-Japan Digital Work Plan 2026
ASEAN-Japan Digital Ministers’ Joint Statement on Promoting Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence