H.E. Mr. Simon Merrifield, who was nominated as the first resident Australian Ambassador to ASEAN Ambassador to ASEAN on September 20, 2013, visited ERIA on October 17, 2013.

Prof. Hidetoshi Nishimura, Executive Director of ERIA, warmly welcomed the Ambassador's visit. Prof. Nishimura expressed deepest gratitude for Australia's contributions and numerous supports since ERIA's establishment for its research studies on the convergence of ASEAN's Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with Australia and New Zealand, China, India, Japan and Korea.

The discussion touched on the recent ERIA's activities highlighting the outcomes from the recent Summits and considerable potential growth in ASEAN.The Ambassador commended the ERIA's outstanding works and expressed his expectations for further ERIA's contribution to ASEAN and East Asia.They reaffirmed their further cooperation especially towards building a more prosperous and strong ASEAN Community.