Japan-Netherlands Relations
Japan-Netherlands Foreign Ministers' Meeting (Working Lunch)
January 11, 2024
On January 11, commencing at 12:30 p.m. local time (same day, 8:30 p.m. JST) for approximately 105 minutes, Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, during her visit to The Hague, the Netherlands, held the first-ever Japan-Netherlands Foreign Ministers' Meeting in a working lunch format with H.E. Ms. Hanke BRUINS SLOT, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The overview is as follows.
- At the outset, Minister Bruins Slot stated that she was delighted at Minister Kamikawa’s visit to the Netherlands, extended her condolences on the Noto Peninsula Earthquake and the airplane accident at Haneda Airport, and hoped to further strengthen the bilateral relationship that has been established between Japan and the Netherlands for over 400 years. In response, Minister Kamikawa stated that the year 2025 will mark the 425th anniversary of exchange between Japan and the Netherlands, and that this is the first visit by a Japanese foreign minister to the Netherlands in 11 years. She stated that she was delighted to meet Minister Bruins Slot for the first time to hold the foreign minsters’ meeting, that expresses gratitude for receiving words of condolences, and that Japan and the Netherlands are strategic partners who share values and principles. She expressed her willingness to strengthen bilateral relations and collaboration also in the context of “the rule of law,” as of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and International Criminal Court (ICC) are located in the Netherlands. She also stated that she would like to deepen cooperation in the fields of WPS. The two ministers concurred to continue to cooperate WPS in the context of assistance to Ukraine.
- The two ministers shared the view that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific are inseparable and welcomed the progress of exchange in the security and defense fields between the two countries. Minister Kamikawa stated that the Netherlands is one of the largest investment destinations in Europe for Japan and hosts many Japanese companies. She also recognized the Netherlands (and their port of Rotterdam, the gateway to Europe) as being the largest European export destination for Japan's agriculture, forestry, and fisheries products. The two ministers concurred to deepen the economic relationship between the two countries, including in the green field, in which the two countries have great advantages, and the advanced technology field (semiconductors, AI, quantum computers, etc.). Minister Bruins Slot stated that she would like to contribute to the success of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. In response, Minister Kamikawa also welcomed the Netherlands’ participation in the Expo and expressed her hope that it would promote the attractiveness of the Netherlands to Japan.
- Minister Bruins Slot praised Japan's support for Ukraine, and both ministers agreed on the solidarity and the continuation of assistance to Ukraine. They also held an exchange of views on the situation in the Middle East and the East Asia including North Korea. Minister Bruins Slot praised also Japan's role in the adoption of a UNSC resolution condemning Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, which was adopted on January 10. Furthermore, Minister Bruins Slot expressed her support for Japan's transparent approach based on scientific basis regarding the release of ALPS-treated water. The two ministers also held an exchange of views on global issues such as nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, etc.