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Japan-Germany Foreign Ministers' Meeting (Outline)

July 7, 2012
Japanese

On Saturday, July 7, from about 4:30 p.m. for around 30 minutes, Mr. Koichiro Gemba, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with H.E. Mr. Guido Westerwelle, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Germany, who is visiting Japan. An overview of the meeting is as follows:

1. Bilateral relations
   (1)  Foreign Minister Gemba welcomed the third visit to Japan by Foreign Minister Westerwelle.
   
   (2)  The two foreign ministers confirmed that their two countries would continue to strengthen cooperative relations as partners sharing the same values.
   
   
2. Japan-EU relations
   (1)  The two foreign ministers reconfirmed the importance of the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). Foreign Minister Westerwelle stated that Germany would play a constructive role in discussion in Europe on this matter.
   
   (2)  Foreign Minister Westerwelle expressed his gratitude for Japan's purchase of European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) bonds and its contribution to strengthening the financial basis of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In response, Foreign Minister Gemba expressed his hopes regarding Germany's fulfillment of its more important role in efforts toward the resolution of the European debt crisis.
   
   
3. Afghanistan
   (1)  Foreign Minister Gemba appreciated Germany's leadership demonstrated on occasions including the International Afghanistan Conference in Bonn.
   
   (2)  In response, Foreign Minister Westerwelle, expressing his esteem of the importance of holding the Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan, agreed with Foreign Minister Gemba to build up a framework to make Afghanistan durable beyond 2015.
   
   (3)  The two foreign ministers shared the view that it was important for the people of Afghanistan themselves to carry out domestic reforms.
   
   
4. Iran
   (1)  Appreciating efforts by EU3+3, including Germany, Foreign Minister Gemba stated that Japan would maintain cooperative relations with Germany.
   
   (2)  In response, Foreign Minister Westerwelle highly praised Minister Gemba's expression of his intention to put pressure on the Iranian Foreign Minister on July 8, and expressed his hopes for this.

• (*The foregoing is a provisional translation. The date indicated above denotes the date of issue of the original press release in Japanese.)

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