Japan-Bulgaria Summit Meeting (Overview)

January 24, 2011
Japanese

(Photos: Cabinet Public Relations Office)

On January 24 (Mon.), from just past 6:30 P.M. for about 45 minutes, Prime Minister Naoto Kan held a summit meeting with H.E. Mr. Boyko Borissov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria, who was visiting Japan on an official working visit. The two leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations with a focus on the economic field, as well as Japan-Europe relationship. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

Bilateral Relations

(1) Prime Minister Kan expressed his heartfelt welcome to Prime Minister Borissov, who was visiting Japan for the first time. He stated that there has been a long history of friendly relations between Japan and Bulgaria, and referring to the entry into the European Union (EU) of Bulgaria in 2007, expressed his intention to strengthen the cooperation between the two countries as partners that share fundamental values. Furthermore, he thanked Prime Minister Borissov for the provision of the Republic of Bulgaria Cup on the final day of the 2011 January Grand Sumo Tournament.

(2) Prime Minister Borissov stated that there has never been a visit by the Japanese Prime Minister to Bulgaria, and a visit by Prime Minister Kan would not only lead to further developments between the two countries in various fields, but have a positive effect on Japan-EU relationship. Prime Minister Kan responded that the proposal was very appealing.
Strengthening of Economic Relations

(1) Prime Minister Borissov noted that Bulgaria was positioned at the gateway between Asia and the EU, and that it was politically stable and attractive from an economic point of view with a low tax rate. He stated that rather than economic assistance from the Japanese Government, he hoped Japanese enterprises would invest in Bulgaria. Prime Minister Kan said that Japanese enterprises have been expanding into Bulgaria in the fields of solar power generation and wind power generation, and that if these companies were successful, it would lead to further investments; therefore he requested that Bulgaria improve its investment environment. Prime Minister Borissov expressed that in consideration of the friendly relations between the two countries, he would make efforts to do so.

(2) Prime Minister Borissov stated that Bulgaria possessed the kind of fertile land and clean water that the world would need henceforth, and that if the natural blessings of Bulgaria could be combined with the technology of Japan, Bulgaria would be able to export food products across the world. From this perspective, Prime Minister Borissov expressed his expectations that Japanese enterprises would invest in Bulgaria. Prime Minister Kan responded that he believed that there were great possibilities in the agricultural sector in Bulgaria.
Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)

Prime Minister Kan, referring to the proposed EPA with the EU, requested Prime Minister Borissov, who had deep understanding in Japan, support the launch of negotiation on the EPA. In response, Prime Minister Borissov commented that the issue was being handled by the European Commission, and that Bulgaria would exert efforts within this framework.

(END)

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