Japan-Greece Relations
Japan-Greece Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
January 16, 2018
On Tuesday, January 16, commencing at 5:15 p.m. (local time; 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, January 17, Japan time) for approximately 30 minutes, Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs, who is visiting Vancouver to attendForeign Minister’s Meeting on Security and Stability on the Korean Peninsula, held a meeting with Mr. Nikos Kotzias, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
- At the beginning, Minister Kono explained that Japan attaches importance to its relationship with Greece, and intends to increase the momentum for invigorating the bilateral relations in the run-up to the 120th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation between Japan and Greece in 2019 and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. In response, Minister Kotzias replied that Greece also hopes to strengthen its relationship with Japan, with which it shares values.
- Minister Kono also explained Japan’s ideas concerning the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy.
- The two ministers exchanged views on wide-ranging issues such as the bilateral relationship, the East Asia situation and cooperation in the international arena.