Japan-Sweden Relations
Japan-Sweden Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
On June 11, commencing at 4:20 p.m. (local time; 11:20 p.m., Japan time) for approximately 20 minutes, Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who is visiting Sweden to attend the Stockholm Ministerial Meeting on Nuclear Disarmament and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), held a meeting with H.E. Ms. Margot Wallström, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Sweden. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
1. Opening Remarks
Minister Wallström expressed her appreciation for Minister Kono’s attendance and contribution to the Stockholm Ministerial Meeting on Nuclear Disarmament and the NPT, and welcomed his visit to Sweden, the first by a Japanese foreign minister in 18 years. In response, Minister Kono also expressed his appreciation for Minister Wallström for her initiative on the Stockholm Ministerial Meeting.
2. Bilateral Relations
While confirming the excellent relations between Japan and Sweden, the two Ministers welcomed the signing of the Agreement between Japan and the Kingdom of Sweden on Social Security in April, and decided to continue the bilateral cooperation between the two countries which share the fundamental values in a wide range of fields, based on the 150th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2018.
3. Regional Affairs
Regarding North Korea, the two Ministers decided to completely implement the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, and to work together for the early resolution of the abductions issue.
4. Import Restrictions on Japanese Food products, etc.
Minister Kono requested cooperation for the early removal of the EU’s import restrictions on Japanese food and food products.