Japan-Lithuania Relations
Japan-Lithuania Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
On February 15, commencing at 6:30 p.m. for approximately 30 minutes (local time; 2:30 a.m. on February 16, Japan time), Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with H.E. Mr. Linas Linkevicius, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, during his visit to Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
1. Opening Remarks
In opening remarks, Minister Kono stated that Lithuania is an important partner sharing fundamental values with Japan, including the rules-based international order, free trade, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, and expressed Japan’s intention to further strengthen relations with Lithuania in a wide range of areas and to work closely together with Lithuania in addressing the various issues our region and the international community face.
2. Bilateral relations
Minister Kono expressed his expectation for strengthening the cooperation between Japan and Lithuaniain the field of economy including the private sector, on the occasion of the entry into force of the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the developments of exchanges in economic relations such as the visit by Japanese businesses to Lithuania in December 2018. Minister Linkevicius also expressed his expectation for strengthening the cooperation between Japan and Lithuania in a wide range of areas. The two Ministers confirmed that they will promote concrete cooperation based on the outcomes of the 1st Japan-Baltic Cooperation Dialogue, which was held in September 2018.
3. Japan-EU Relations
The two Ministers shared the view on the importance of vitalizing trade and investment between Japan and Lithuania and between Japan and the EU, taking the opportunity of the entry into force of the Japan-EU EPA on February 1. The two Ministers also exchanged their views on the developments surrounding the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.
4. Regional Affairs
(1) The two Ministers shared the view that the international community should be united in supporting the U.S.-North Korea process, towards the 2nd U.S.-North Korea Summit, scheduled to be held in the end of this month, and confirmed that Japan and Lithuania will closely cooperate on this issue.
(2) Furthermore, the two Ministers exchanged their views on other various regional affairs.