Japan-Chile Relations (Basic Data)

March 2012

Basic Data

Diplomatic relations:: The Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation between Japan and Chile was signed in 1897 (the two countries marked the 110th Anniversary of the signature in 2007).
Japanese and ethnic Japanese:: Number of Japanese residing in Chile: 1,152 (2007); Population of Japanese descent: 2,600 (2007 estimate) (There was no mass emigration to Chile; most of the ethnic Japanese moved to Chile from neighboring countries.)
Trade with Japan (2007):: Japan ranks third among Chile's export partners and seventh among its import partners.; Exports: $7,246.2 million (copper and copper ore, fish, shellfish, feed, lumber, pulp); Imports: $1,586.3 million (autos, electrical and general machinery)
Direct investment from Japan:: Japanese direct investment in Chile amounted to $32.5 million in 2007. In recent years investments in such industries as mining, forestry, and fisheries have been increasing. Cumulative direct investment from 1974 to 2007 amounted to $1,871 million.
Japan's economic cooperation:: List of Exchange of Notes; Loans: 27,070 million yen (cumulative total as of March 31, 2007); Grants: 9,008 million yen (cumulative total as of March 31, 2007); Technical cooperation: 39,611 million yen (cumulative total as of March 31, 2007)

Recent Visits by Eminent Persons

Japan to Chile:

Year	Name
1981	International Trade and Industry Minister Rokusuke Tanaka
1990	House of Councillors member Kaname Endo (special envoy)
1992	Former Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu
1993	Prince and Princess Hitachi
1994, January	House of Representatives member Taro Nakayama, chairman of the Japan-Chile Parliamentary Friendship League
1994, March	House of Representatives member Shusei Tanaka (special envoy)
1996, July	President of House of Counsellors Juro Saito
1996, August	Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto
1997, June	Minister for Construction Sizuka Kamei
1997, September	Prince and Princess Hitachi
2000, March	House of Councillors Member Yutaka Inoue (Special Envoy)
2001, January	Former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone (as a member of Official Parliamentary Delegation) (The Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum)
2002, August	Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Shigeo Uetake
2002, August	Official Delegation of the House of Representatives members
2004, November	Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
2006, March	House of Representatives member Hideo Nakagawa (Special Envoy)
2008, June	House of Representatives members Motohiko Kondo, Tadamasa Kodaira and Daishiro Yamagiwa, and House of Counsellors member Yousuke Tsuruho (60th IWC annual meeting)

Chile to Japan:

Year	Name
1983	Finance Minister Rolf Luders; President of the Central Bank of Chile Carlos Caceres
1985	Transportation Minister Luis Escobar; Finance Minister Hernan Buchi
1987	Economy Minister Andres Concha; Finance Minister Hernan Buchi
1988	Finance Minister Hernan Buchi
1989	External Relations Minister Hernan Felipe Errazuriz; Finance Minister Enrique Seguel; Economy Minister Pedro Larrondo
1990	External Relations Minister Enrique Silva-Cimma (imperial accession ceremonies); Economy Minister Carlos Ominami Pascual
1991	Mining Minister Juan Hamilton
1992	President Patricio Aylwin (official working visit, accompanied by External Relations Minister Enrique Silva-Cimma, Finance Minister Alejandro Foxley, and Agriculture Minister Juan Agustin Figueroa)
1993	External Relations Minister Enrique Silva-Cimma; Secretary General of the Presidency Edgardo Boeninger
1994, July	Former President Patricio Aylwin
1994, November	President Eduardo Frei
1995, November	President Eduardo Frei
1996, March	Ministry for Mining Benjamin Teplizky
1996, December	President of the Senate Sergio Diez
1997, August, September	President Eduardo Frei
1999, November	External Relations Minister Juan Gabriel Valdés
2002, September	President of the Senate Andrés Zaldivar
2002, November	External Relations Minister Maria Soledad Alvear
2003, February	President Ricardo Lagos
2003, September	President of the House of Representatives Isabel Allende Bussi
2004, November	President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Sergio Paez Verdugo
2005, April	Minister of Finance Nicolas Eyzaguirre Guzman
2005, May	Minister of Finance Nicolas Eyzaguirre Guzman; Minister of Agriculture Jaime Alfonso Campos Quiroga
2007, March	Minister of Foreign Affairs Alejandro Foxley Rioseco
2007, September	President Michelle Bachelet Jeria (official working visit, accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Alejardro Foxley Rioseco and the Minister of Economy Alejandro Ferreiro Yazigi)
2008, January	President of the Senate Eduardo Frei

Cultural Grant (cumulative total fiscal 1975-2007)

975.3 million yen (Cultural Grant Aid)

Japan-Chile Relations Forum

(A forum for exchange of opinions in wide-ranging areas including politics, economy, culture, and science.
The fourth meeting was held in April 2009 in Santiago.)

(1)	Establishment	:	2004
(2)	Japanese members	:	five members
	Chilean members	:	eight members

Japan-Chile Parliamentary Friendship League

(1)	Establishment	:	1984
(2)	Chairman	:	Hidenao Nakagawa

Japan-Chile Economic Committee

(Annual meetings are held in Japan and Chile alternately; the 26th meeting took place in April 2009 in Santiago.)

(1)	Establishment:	1978
(2)	Japanese chairman	Mikio Sasaki, Chairman of Mitsubishi Corp.
	Chilean chairman	Roberto de Andraca, President of Pacific Steel Company (CAP)

Back to Index