Japan-Netherlands Relations
Japan-Netherlands Foreign Ministers' Meeting
June 28, 2021
On June 28, commencing at 6:40 p.m. (local time; on June 29, 1:40 a.m. JST) for 30 minutes, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who was visiting Italy to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ and Development Ministers’ Meetingsg, held a Japan-Netherlands Foreign Ministers' Meeting with H.E. Mrs. Sigrid KAAG, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
- Minister Motegi congratulated Minister Kaag on her inauguration as Minister for Foreign Affairs and stated his intention to further strengthen Japan’s relationship with the Netherlands, a strategic partner with whom Japan shares fundamental values and a relationship for over 400 years. In response, Minister Kaag stated that she was pleased to meet with Minister Motegi for the first time. She expressed her expectation to develop a wide range of relationships with Japan, including politics, security, economy, and multilateral cooperation. She also expressed support for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
- Minister Motegi stated that he was reassured by the increased involvement of the Netherlands in the Indo-Pacific, such as the release of the Netherlands' own "Indo-Pacific Guidelines," participation in the formulation of the "EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific," and the participation of a Dutch frigate in the UK Carrier Strike Group deployed to the Indo-Pacific. The two ministers shared the view to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
- The two ministers also exchanged views on the situation in the East China Sea and South China Sea, including the Coast Guard Law. They shared serious concerns about the continued and strengthened attempts to unilaterally change the status quo . They also shared serious concerns about the situation in Hong Kong and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
- The two ministers confirmed that the full implementation of the Security Council Resolution is essential to achieve the complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement of all North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles. Furthermore, Minister Motegi asked for understanding and cooperation for the immediate resolution of the abductions issue and gained support from Minister Kaag.
- Based on the "Japan-EU Green Alliance" launched at the recent EU-Japan Summit, the two ministers confirmed that they would accelerate a joint effort in the fields of climate change and the environment and lead the international community.