Japan-EU Relations

1. At the outset, Prime Minister Ishiba welcomed President Costa and President von der Leyen for their visit to Japan.
2. Prime Minister Ishida stated that Japan and the EU are indispensable to each other, and partners sharing strong aspirations. He also stated that, amidst the current turbulent global situations, cooperation among like-minded countries is more important than ever, and that he would like to work closely with the EU to uphold global governance, multilateralism, and the free and open international order based on the rule of law.
3. President Costa and President von der Leyen stated that they had visited the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan and had been very impressed by it, including the Japan Pavilion. They further stated that Japan is the EU's closest Strategic Partner in the Indo-Pacific region, that a partner with shared values is important in a rapidly changing international situation and that the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) are the basis for cooperation.

1. Japan and the EU concurred to steadily implement their cooperation in areas such as cyber, defence industry, maritime security, space, and information, based on the Japan-EU Security and Defence Partnership announced in November last year, based on the recognition that the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific is inseparable, and therefore security cooperation between Japan and the EU is increasingly important.
2. Both sides welcomed the progress made in cooperation toward the launch of the Japan-EU Defence Industry Dialogue.
3. Both sides welcomed the concurrence to start formal negotiations on the Japan-EU Security of Information Agreement.
4. Both sides concurred that amid growing uncertainty in the international economic order, Japan and the EU, as trusted partners, would strengthen economic cooperation, including through the utilization of the Japan-EU EPA.
5. Both sides discussed international trade and economic security, and shared the view that Japan and the EU will work together to maintain and strengthen a stable and predictable rules-based free and fair economic order, including upholding the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core.
6. Both sides concurred to launch the “Japan-EU Competitiveness Alliance”to promote concrete cooperation in a wide range of areas, including economic security, industrial policy, innovation policy, and energy.
7. Both sides concurred to expand the participants of Japan-EU High-Level Economic Dialogue to strengthen strategic cooperation between Japan and the EU on the various economic challenges discussed today.

Both sides discussed global issues such as climate change, and shared the view that Japan and the EU will promote cooperation in these areas as well.

Both sides exchanged views on regional affairs including on Ukraine, Middle East, as well as in East Asia, and President Costa and President von der Leyen expressed their gratitude for Japan’s solidarity with Ukraine and Europe regarding Russia's aggression against Ukraine, and both sides confirmed continuous close coordination between Japan and the EU. Prime Minister Ishiba also asked for continued understanding and cooperation of the EU for the immediate resolution of the abductions issue and gained the support.