Japan-Switzerland Relations
Meeting between Foreign Minister HAYASHI and H.E. Mr. Ignazio CASSIS, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation
January 12, 2023
On January 12, commencing at 1:15 p.m. (local time; January 13, 3:15 a.m. JST) for approximately 20 minutes, Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who is currently visiting the United States, held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Ignazio CASSIS, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation. The overview is as follows.
- Minister Hayashi stated that he is pleased to see Minister Cassis again following the meeting last April in Japan and expressed his appreciation for Minister Cassis's participation in the Ministerial Level Open Debate on the rule of law in the Security Council. In response, Minister Cassis expressed his delightedness to meet with Minister Hayashi again and appreciated the hospitality offered by the Japanese side during his visit to Japan last year. Minister Cassis also stated that Switzerland attaches much value to the rule of law.
- Minister Hayashi stated that it is a pleasure for Japan to co-assume a non-permanent member of the Security Council together with Switzerland given its first tenure, and that he would like to cooperate with Switzerland to maintain and strengthen the international order based on the rule of law, while Russia's aggression against Ukraine shakes the very foundations of the international order. In response, Minister Cassis also expressed his wish to further strengthen cooperation in the Security Council, including on North Korea.
- Both sides exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine and cooperation in the international arena, such as strengthening the functions of the United Nations, including Security Council reform. The two ministers concurred to working more closely together in various fields.