On 24 April 2026, H.E. Mr. Sarun Charoensuwan, Special Envoy of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, had a discussion with Ms. Miyazaki Katsura, Executive Senior Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Both sides discussed strategic directions of bilateral development cooperation and acknowledged the progress of projects currently being implemented by JICA in collaboration with the Thai agencies. They reaffirmed the longstanding and close Thailand - Japan relations, which will mark its 140th anniversary in 2027. The Japanese side commended Thailand’s role as a key partner of Japan in the region and reaffirmed its readiness to continue close cooperation with Thailand in various areas, such as joint efforts to combat online scams and development assistance carried out together within the sub-region.

In addition, both sides discussed their future strategic direction for cooperation, with a focus on clean energy security, human resource development to support future industries, and promoting stability and connectivity in the Mekong subregion. They agreed to further advance cooperation through a co-creation approach which will foster innovation and generate sustainable mutual benefits. The Japanese side also expressed its readiness to work closely with Thailand in its accession process to the OECD, as Thailand is committed to attaining OECD membership by 2030.