Japan-EU Relations
Telephone Talk between Prime Minister Kishida and President von der Leyen of the European Commission
December 17, 2021
On December 17, commencing at 6.50 p.m. for approximately 20 minutes, Mr. KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, held a telephone talk with H. E. Dr. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. An overview of the talk is as follows.
- At the outset, Prime Minister Kishida expressed his appreciation for the “Joint Communication on the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific” and the “Global Gateway.” He stated that he would like to work closely with the EU towards a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” based on the “Partnership on Sustainable Connectivity and Quality Infrastructure between Japan and the European Union”. In response, President von der Leyen stated that the EU would like to further advance cooperation with Japan in various fields, such as cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and connectivity.
- Based on the Japan-EU EPA and SPA, the two leaders shared the view to cooperate in areas such as digital, green, cyber, supply chains including semiconductors, Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT), science and technology, and measures against disinformation.
- Prime Minister Kishida called for the prompt lifting of import restrictions on Japanese food products by the EU.
- The two leaders also exchanged views on regional situation, including China and North Korea. The two leaders affirmed that they would continue to cooperate in dealing with North Korea, including on the abductions issue.