Japan-Germany Relations
Visit of H.E. Dr. Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, to Japan
(Visit to Nezu Museum, Courtesy Call by Japanese and German Business Leaders, and Dinner Hosted by Prime Minister Abe)
（Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office）
（Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office）
（Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office）
On March 9, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the following events with H.E. Dr. Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, during her official working visit, besides a summit meeting. The overview is as follows.
1. Visit to Nezu Museum
（Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office）
(1) Commencing at 3:40 p.m. for approximately 20 minutes, Prime Minister Abe and Chancellor Merkel visited Nezu Museum, and enjoyed the current collection exhibition “Bodhisattvas: Symbols of Salvation and Support,” as well as Ao-Ido tea bowl “Shibata”.
(2) In addition, the two leaders took a walk in the Japanese garden. Chancellor Merkel had a first-hand experience of Japanese culture through this visit.
2. Courtesy Call by Japanese and German Business Leaders
（Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office）
(1) Commencing at 7:05 p.m. for approximately 40 minutes, Prime Minister Abe and Chancellor Merkel received a courtesy call by the economic delegation accompanying Chancellor Merkel on this visit, consisting of 10 German business leaders, including Mr. Ulrich Grillo, President of the Federation of German Industries, and Dr. Eric Schweitzer, President of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Japanese business leaders, including Mr. Sadayuki Sakakibara, Chairman of the Japan Business Federation, and Mr. Yuzaburo Mogi, Japanese Chairman of the Japanese-German Forum, also joined the meeting.
(2) At the beginning of the meeting, Prime Minister Abe and Chancellor Merkel mentioned the importance of the bilateral relations, and expressed their will to promote further cooperation and coordination in the economic field.
(3) Following this, the business leaders from Japan and Germany provided useful suggestions based on their extensive experiences. In particular, they emphasized the importance of the roles of small and medium emterprises, and shared the view that a memorandum of cooperation between JETRO and the German Chambers of Commerce and Industry would be beneficial in terms of promoting cooperation between the Japanese and German enterprises. They also exchanged views on the importance of reaching an agreement on the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) at an early date, as well as on patents. They deepened mutual understanding through this meeting.
3. Dinner Hosted by Prime Minister Abe
Commencing at 8:00 p.m. for approximately 80 minutes, Prime Minister Abe hosted a dinner in a Japanese-style room of the Prime Minister’s Official Residence (Japanese officials also in attendance included Mr. Katsunobu Kato, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Hiroshige Seko, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, and Mr. Minoru Kiuchi, State Minister for Foreign Affairs). Prime Minister Abe and Chancellor Merkel exchanged views on various issues which both countries are facing, including women’s active roles and aging society, in a friendly atmosphere.