Regional economic integration is stronger when complementarity and synergy effects are generated between “de jure” economic integration and close economic relations achieved autonomously through market-led /business-driven integration. This observation is important when we consider bringing closer the economic ties between Asia Pacific and Latin America. Japan has a large potential to contribute to the development of such economic ties. This is precisely because of the unique position that Japan has long retained both in East Asia and Latin America, and its catalytic role for the process of industrial development and structural transformation.