(VOVworld) – A ceremony has opened in Jakarta, Indonesia, to mark the 40^th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation. Speaking at the event on Friday, ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh said that Japan is one of the Association’s most important partners sharing interests in potential and challenges with ASEAN. Minh stressed that ASEAN welcomed the close relationship between Japan and ASEAN, adding the ties will bring about mutual benefit and expand relations. Japan became ASEAN’s second trade partner in 2011 with trade turn-over reaching more than 270 billion USD. For his part, Japanese ambassador to ASEAN Ishikane Kimihiru pledged that Tokyo will continue to support ASEAN in the process of economic development, regional integration, and building ASEAN community by 2015. The two sides agreed to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea and region.