Japan-Mongolia Relations

On May 20, commencing at 6:05 p.m. for approximately 40 minutes, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a summit meeting with H.E. Mr. Tsakhia Elbegdorj, President of Mongolia. The outline of the meeting is as follows.

At the beginning, Prime Minister Abe explained to President Elbegdorj that this is his seventh meeting with the President, and he is happy that bilateral relations are advancing steadily with each meeting. Prime Minister Abe also mentioned that Japanese diet approval has been obtained for the Japan-Mongolia Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), and explained that he intends to further develop the two countries’ “Strategic Partnership.”

In response, President Elbegdorj stated that Japan and Mongolia enjoy the friendliest relationship in Northeast Asia and initiatives proposed by Prime Minister Abe have played an important part in that. President Elbegdorj explained that the Japan-Mongolia EPA is the outcome of close bilateral relations spanning the 25 years since Mongolia’s democratization in 1990, and is a starting point for further developing the relationship.

The two leaders shared the view to work toward building a genuinely equal, mutually beneficial and mutually complementary relationship with a view to further deepening the “Strategic Partnership.”

Prime Minister Abe stated that the situation in East Asia is fluid, and for that very reason he hopes to establish a solid relationship of trust and cooperation between Japan and Mongolia that is founded on their common values. Prime Minister Abe said he intends to move ahead with strategic dialogue in the fields of diplomacy and security.

President Elbegdorj explained that he highly appreciates the proactive contribution to peace policy that Prime Minister Abe came out with based on the progress made over the 70 years since the end of World War II, and Prime Minister Abe replied that Japan will contribute to peace in the region and the world more than ever before.

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional affairs in East Asia, including North Korea, and cooperation in the international arena.

Prime Minister Abe explained that he intends to ensure that the conclusion of the EPA promptly produces mutually beneficial outcomes that the citizens of both countries can recognize, along with stating that Japan intends to continue to support Mongolia’s independent nation building.

In addition, the two leaders exchanged views on wide-ranging bilateral cooperation in the economic field.

Prime Minister Abe conveyed a decision to provide visa exemptions to Mongolia’s diplomatic passport holders and issue multiple entry visas to Mongolia’s general passport holders as one part of efforts to further vitalize exchanges between the two countries’ citizens, and President Elbegdorj expressed his gratitude. In addition, Prime Minister Abe explained that approximately 300 youths have been invited from Mongolia under the JENESYS 2.0 Programme over the past two years and a further 200 youths will be invited this fiscal year, and the two leaders shared the view that a sense of affinity and mutual trust between citizens is the foundation for friendly bilateral relations, and that they will make an effort to increase people-to-people exchanges in the future also.