Japan and Germany agreed to deepen cooperation on defense and climate protection on the 18th, as well as to work more closely together to reduce over-reliance on specific countries in key areas such as minerals and semiconductors.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida welcomed German Chancellor Scholz to Tokyo for a meeting, and held the first governmental consultations between Japan and Germany, including bilateral consultations between major ministers of defense, economy, finance, transport and foreign affairs.
Japanese and German leaders (Tokyo, March 18)
Photographer: David Mareuil/Anadolu Agency/Bloomberg
At the beginning of the meeting, Prime Minister Kishida said that the relationship between Japan and Germany, both members of the Group of Seven (G7), is closer than ever. It will be further strengthened by new intergovernmental talks, he said.
After the intergovernmental talks, Prime Minister Kishida held a joint press conference with Prime Minister Scholz, saying that following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “the international community is truly at a turning point. Maintaining a free and open international order based on the rule of law.・To strengthen cooperation, Japan and Germany are required to strengthen their cooperation and cooperation more than ever before.
“In order to respond to challenges such as global supply chain disruptions, soaring energy and food prices, and the vulnerability of globalization, and to increase the resilience of society, we are both industrial nations and fundamentally Japan and Germany, which share such values, need to play a leading role.” Mineral resources, as well as semiconductors and batteries, were cited as strategic sectors to strengthen cooperation in building supply chains.
Chancellor Scholz also said that German-Japanese relations had been raised to a new level.
In a declaration after the summit, the two countries condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They also agreed to work to establish a legal framework for cooperation between Japan and Germany in the fields of defense and security.
At a joint press conference, Prime Minister Kishida welcomed the progress in Japan-Germany cooperation in the area of security, and agreed to further strengthen concrete cooperation toward the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific. “In order to end the aggression by Russia as soon as possible, Japan and Germany reaffirmed the importance of uniting with their comrades and continuing their tough policies toward Russia and strong support for Ukraine.” Told.
He also stated that “economic security is not just an issue for a few developed countries, but an issue that the entire international community, including the so-called global South, should work together to address,” and that “Japan and Germany will support the promotion of economic security in each country.” I will do it,” he said.
In addition to the summit, Defense Minister Seiichi Hamada and German Defense Minister Pistorius held talks. They agreed to aim for the development of a legal framework to promote joint activities between the Self-Defense Forces and the German Armed Forces. They also agreed to deepen cooperation and defense equipment and technology cooperation.
On the same day, Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki and German Finance Minister Lintner also exchanged views on issues facing the international community, including economic security, as well as economic and financial management of both Japan and Germany, and agreed on the following points.
- Japan and Germany play a vital role in tackling the difficult challenges facing the international community
- Determined to strengthen ties between Japan and Germany in order to strengthen the rules-based world economic order
- Confirmed further cooperation toward the Niigata G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in May
Original title: Germany, Japan Vow to Deepen Ties on Defense, Raw Materials (1) (excerpt)
(We will add and update the joint press conference after the discussion)
Tags: German Japanese leaders agree strengthen cooperation economic security
