Japan-Netherlands Relations
Japan-Netherlands Foreign Ministers’ Working Lunch
February 24, 2023
On February 24, commencing at 1:45 p.m. local time (3:45 a.m. on February 25, Japan Standard Time ) for approximately 60 minutes, Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a working lunch with H.E. Mr. Wopke HOEKSTRA, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, during his visit to New York to attend the emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly and the ministerial debate at the United Nations Security Council. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
- At the outset, Minister Hayashi thanked Minister Hoekstra for attending the state funeral for former Prime Minister ABE Shinzo held last year. Minister Hayashi also welcomed the progress being made between the two countries on exchanges and cooperation in a range of areas including economy and security, on the basis of their historical friendship, and expressed his wish to further strengthen the bilateral relationship.
- Regarding Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Minister Hayashi expressed his respect for the Netherlands' significant support for Ukraine in the military, humanitarian, judicial, and other fields. The two Ministers confirmed the importance of like-minded countries to unite to continue to impose strict sanctions against Russia and to provide strong support for Ukraine. Minister Hayashi also stated that Japan, as the only country to have ever suffered atomic bombings during wartime, could never accept Russia’s threat of nuclear weapons, let alone its use of nuclear weapons, sharing the recognition with Minister Hoekstra.
- Minister Hayashi conveyed his high regard for the Netherlands' formulation of their own Indo-Pacific guideline and their commitment to the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and expressed his desire to strengthen cooperation toward the realization of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”. Moreover, Minister Hayashi explained the formulation of Japan’s new National Security Strategy at the end of last year, in light of the increasingly severe international security environment. Minister Hoekstra supported the Strategy.
- The two ministers also discussed the situations of the East and South China Seas, addressing economic security issues including economic coercion, opaque and unfair development finance, dealing with North Korea including on the nuclear and missile issues as well as the abductions issue, and strengthening the functions of the UN including the Security Council reform. The two ministers concurred on their further cooperation.
- Minister Hayashi asked for the cooperation of the Netherlands in the early lifting of EU restrictions on imports of Japanese food products. In addition, Minister Hayashi explained Japan's approach to the handling of ALPS treated water.