TOKYO, Dec 12 — Japan and Malaysia have agreed to establish a framework of bilateral talks on the second wave of Malaysia’s ‘Look East’ policy, said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan.

Speaking at a joint press conference after a bilateral meeting with visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak here today, Abe said that this was in view of further developing the bilateral ties between Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur, which he said was based on the policy.

The ‘Look East’ policy was introduced by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1982, when he was the prime minister of Malaysia, to emulate the work ethics and business techniques of Japan.  

“The foundation of Japan-Malaysia bilateral relations is the multi-layer ties of friendship based on the ‘Look East’ policy,” Abe told the press conference, speaking through a Japanese interpreter.

Najib arrived here this morning on a four-day working visit in conjunction with the summit marking the 40th anniversary of Asean-Japan dialogue relations. 

At a meeting in July this year in Malaysia, Najib and Abe agreed to further strengthen bilateral ties through a second wave of the ‘Look East’ policy.

Najib had said then that the second wave should not be limited only to training and education, but must also be more progressive with the focus on priorities and changes in the current economic structure.

Saying that both of them had very meaningful talks, Abe said they agreed to cooperate in the area of economic ties, particularly with regard to the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur high-speed rail link project.  

“I asked that the high speed railway system in Japan (be adopted),” Abe said.

In his tweet today, Najib said the proposed Singapore-Kuala Lumpur high-speed rail link would be finalised next year.

The proposed US$12 billion (RM40 billion), 330km project was announced by Najib and his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong in February.

On maritime security, Abe pointed out that the two countries had their first joint exercise between the relevant agencies in September this year and at today’s meeting, they agreed to continue the cooperation, including between the defence authorities.

Abe said he also mentioned to Najib that Japan would support scholarships for more students from the Asean countries to pursue their studies at the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT).

Abe said he and Najib also exchanged views on current regional issues and agreed to work together to build an Asean Community by 2015. — Bernama