Japan-Cuba Relations
Japan-Cuba Foreign Ministers' Meeting
May 3, 2015
On May 2, during his visit to Cuba, Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs and H. E. Mr. Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, held a Japan-Cuba Foreign Ministers’ meeting. An overview of the meeting is as follows.
- Minister Kishida expressed his pleasure of meeting with Foreign Minister Rodríguez again. He expressed the wish to elevate Japan-Cuba relations to a new level, and to this end, announced that full-fledged grant aid to Cuba would be initiated, in addition to which he proposed the establishment of a public-business sector joint committee to strengthen economic relations, and the establishment of a "Japan-Cuba Consultation on UN issues" to enhance dialogue on various international issues.
- Foreign Minister Rodríguez stated that the first-ever visit to Cuba by a Japanese foreign minister had served to drive forward bilateral relations. He welcomed the proposals made by Minister Kishida and stated that Cuba seeks to cooperate closely with Japan under a new United Nations dialogue framework.
- Minister Kishida and Minister Rodríguez engaged in a wide-ranging exchange of views on bilateral relations and the regional and international situation, including UNSC reform, as well as disarmament and non-proliferation.
- The Japan-Cuba Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was the third occasion for Minister Kishida to meet with Minister Rodríguez.