Japan-Slovakia Relations
Japan-Slovakia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
On August 31, commencing at 4:15 p.m. local time (11:45 p.m., JST) for approximately 50 minutes, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who was visiting the Slovak Republic to attend the “V4 Plus Japan” Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Juraj Blanár, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic (Slovakia currently holds the V4 Presidency).
- At the outset, Minister Blanár welcomed Minister MOTEGI’s visit to Slovakia and expressed his expectations for further cooperation with Japan. In response, Minister MOTEGI said he was pleased to participate in the “V4 Plus Japan” Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the V4’s first dialogue with a non-European partner country under Slovakia’s presidency.
- Minister MOTEGI noted that Japan has contributed to the Slovak economy with over 60 Japanese firms, including automotive parts manufacturers, operating in the country and generating about 20,000 jobs. The two ministers confirmed that Japan and Slovakia would further strengthen their cooperation in a wide range of fields, including economy and economic security.
- In addition, Minister MOTEGI noted the importance of maintaining and strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law and expressed his intention to further strengthen Japan’s cooperation with Slovakia, a member of EU and NATO. The two ministers exchanged views on the situation in the Indo-Pacific, including North Korea’s nuclear and missile activities and abductions issue, as well as the situation in Ukraine, and the two sides concurred on the importance of the rule of law. They also concurred on continuing to cooperate closely, including at the United Nations.
(Reference) V4 (Visegrad 4)
A framework for regional cooperation comprising of the Slovak Republic (current Presidency holder), the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. It was founded in 1991 in Visegrád, Hungary. In addition to dialogues among leaders, foreign ministers and senior officials, cooperation under the “V4 Plus Japan” framework has been promoted in a wide range of fields, including science and technology, third country assistance, disaster prevention, and environmental issues.