The Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP) is based on the representative joint statements issued in January 1974 between Japan and the Republic of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore and the Kingdom of Thailand. Negara Brunei Darussalam, following its full independence and its admission to the Assocation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in January 1984, joined the program in 1985. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam joined in 1996, following its admission to the ASEAN in July 1995, and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Union of Myanmar joined in 1998 after having been admitted to the ASEAN in July 1997. Furthermore in 2000, the Kingdom of Cambodia also joined this program following its admission to the ASEAN in April 1999. This program is carried out by the Government of Japan with the active participation and cooperation of these ten Southeast Asian countries.