Japan-Germany Relations
Meeting between Mrs. Akie Abe, Spouse of the Prime Minister of Japan,
and Ms. Elke Büdenbender, Spouse of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany
On February 6, Mrs. Akie Abe, spouse of the Prime Minister of Japan, held a meeting with Ms. Elke Büdenbender, spouse of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, who was paying an official working visit to Japan.
The meeting was held in a friendly atmosphere. Mrs. Abe welcomed the first visit of Ms. Büdenbender to Japan and Ms. Büdenbender conveyed her gratitude for the heartfelt hospitality by the Japanese side.
In response to the questions from Ms. Büdenbender, Mrs. Abe explained her activities regarding the support for the reconstruction of the Tohoku region and the regional vitalization. Ms. Büdenbender expressed her respect for such activities by Mrs. Abe.
Mrs. Abe and Ms. Büdenbender shared the recognition of the current situation surrounding refugees and exchanged their views on the refugee crisis and the support for refugees based on their experiences of visiting refugee camps and facilities.
The two ladies also exchanged their views on matters of mutual interest, such as women’s participation into society, support for children and education.