Japan-France Relations
Japan-France Foreign Ministers’ meeting
December 11, 2021
On December 11, commencing at 4:50 p.m. (1:50 a.m., December 12, Japan time) for approximately 25 minutes, Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who is visiting the United Kingdom to attend the Second Meeting of G7 Foreign and Development Ministers, held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
- At the outset, Minister Le Drian congratulated Minister Hayashi on his appointment as the Foreign Minister and stated that he is a long-time friend of Japan and had visited Japan every year before COVID-19, and that he hopes to deepen cooperation with Japan in a wide variety of fields, including security and defense cooperation. Minister Hayashi stated that he hopes to work with France, which is an exceptional partner of Japan and will assume the EU Presidency in the first half of 2022, on strengthening Japan-France and Japan-EU cooperation.
- Minister Hayashi expressed appreciation for France’s cooperation in the recent Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit 2021, and the two ministers confirmed that the two countries would cooperate for the success of the next summit, which is scheduled to be held in Paris, as well as the next Olympic and Paralympic Games.
- Minister Le Drian stated that through the opportunities such as the ministerial meeting on the Indo-Pacific that France is scheduled to host as the EU Presidency in February next year, France would like to strengthen its cooperation with partners in the Indo-Pacific including Japan. The two ministers shared the view to further deepen Japan-France and Japan-EU cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
- The two ministers also exchanged views on regional situations, including Iran and Ukraine.