Europe

Foreign Minister Fabius expressed his pleasure in seeing a growing number of exchanges of people between Japan and France since President Hollande’s visit to Japan last June as a state guest, and at Japan’s selection as the host country for the 2020 Olympic Games, adding that the two countries should promote mutual cooperation in a range of fields, including the Olympics and mutual recognition of academic degrees. Foreign Minister Kishida responded that Japan would work to push forward the Road Map for Cooperation between Japan and France, an achievement of President Hollande’s visit to Japan.

Foreign Minister Kishida commented that cooperation was growing in density between private-sector businesses in Japan and France, as seen in a contract Japan Airlines concluded with Airbus last October to purchase its airplanes, that the two countries should promote cooperation helpful to their respective growth strategies, and that they should pursue a comprehensive and high-level Japan-EU EPA. In response, Foreign Minister Fabius, expressing his appreciation for Japan Airlines’ contract for the purchase of Airbuses and the lifting of a ban on the import of French beef, hoped for continued cooperation for progress in negotiations for the Japan-EU EPA.

Foreign Minister Fabius expressed his recognition of cooperation in decontamination work after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and in the plan for construction of a nuclear power plant in Turkey by Japan and France. Foreign Minister Kishida expressed his appreciation for France’s support after the nuclear plant accident, adding that the two countries should promote nuclear cooperation between them for third-party countries.

The two ministers shared the view that Japan and France would cooperate in COP 21, to be held in 2015 under the chairmanship of France.