Japan-Mexico Relations
Foreign Minister MOTEGI Visits Mexico
January 4, 2021
On January 4, commencing at 5:00 p.m. local time (8:00 a.m. on January 5 Japan time) for approximately one hour and fifteen minutes, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who is currently visiting Mexico, held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Marcelo Luis Ebrard Casaubón, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the United Mexican States. Prior to this meeting, Minister MOTEGI also held a meeting with H.E. Ms. Tatiana Clouthier Carrillo, Secretary of Economy of the United Mexican States, for approximately one hour from 3:00 p.m. local time (6:00 a.m. on January 5 Japan time). The overview of these meetings is as follows.
During this visit to Mexico, Minister MOTEGI exchanged views with both ministers at length. In doing so, he affirmed that Japan would further strengthen its strategic partnership with Mexico, which has close ties with the United States, where the new Biden administration will be inaugurated later this month.
During this visit to Mexico, Minister MOTEGI exchanged views with both ministers at length. In doing so, he affirmed that Japan would further strengthen its strategic partnership with Mexico, which has close ties with the United States, where the new Biden administration will be inaugurated later this month.
1 Meeting with Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ebrard
- At the outset, Minister MOTEGI stated that Mexico is a strategic global partner with which Japan shares fundamental values, and that he hopes to work more closely with Mexico not only in terms of bilateral relations, but also to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order. In response, Secretary Ebrard welcomed Minister MOTEGI’s visit to Mexico and voiced his agreement, adding that as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for this year and the next, Mexico hopes to work in close cooperation with Japan.
- Minister MOTEGI explained that international cooperation is essential to contain the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and that medical equipment worth about 5.7 million dollars is being provided to Mexico, to which Secretary Ebrard responded by expressing his appreciation for Japan’s support.
- The two ministers acknowledged that the economic relationship between both countries has expanded dramatically in recent years. Minister MOTEGI indicated that Japanese companies operating in Mexico are looking forward to improvement of the business environment and requested support for the Japanese companies that are making great efforts to continue their business and maintain employment amid the COVID-19 crisis. Secretary Ebrard noted the attention to the improvement of the business environment and expressed his hope for Japanese companies’ further business expansion and investment to Mexico.
- Minister MOTEGI again congratulated Mexico on its election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for this year and the next, and expressed a wish to cooperate with Mexico in tackling various regional and international challenges, such as addressing issues related to North Korea, including the abductions, nuclear and missile issues. Responding to this, Secretary Ebrard said that Mexico attaches great importance to the issue of nuclear non-proliferation, including with respect to North Korea, and can support any efforts by Japan in this area.
The two ministers also affirmed their commitment to working together on global issues such as climate change. - The two ministers committed to collaborating in the WTO and TPP11 to promote free trade, also confirming that as the chair countries of the TPP Commission for last year and this year, Japan and Mexico would continue to work together for the TPP11’s steady implementation and expansion.
- Minister MOTEGI outlined Japan’s efforts to achieve a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” (FOIP) and pointed out that Japan, together with Mexico, has been leading the development of systems and rules to expand free and fair economic zones, such as the TPP11. He called for close collaboration with Mexico, which holds a leading position in Latin America, to maintain and strengthen a free and open order. Secretary Ebrard replied that he would like to discuss with Japan what kind of cooperation can be achieved on FOIP.
- The two ministers also exchanged views on the regional situations, including the situation in North Korea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea.
2 Meeting with Secretary of Economy Clouthier
- At the outset, Minister MOTEGI congratulated Secretary Clouthier on her new position as Secretary of Economy. Secretary Clouthier said that she was delighted to meet with Minister MOTEGI right after assuming her post, and that she would like to further enhance the economic relationship between Japan and Mexico.
- Welcoming the fact that the economic relationship between Japan and Mexico has grown significantly since the Japan-Mexico EPA took effect in 2005, with trade volume doubling and the number of Japanese companies operating in Mexico quadrupling, the two ministers exchanged views on the operation of the Japan-Mexico EPA and various other issues.
- Minister MOTEGI called for the business environment in Mexico to be further improved and stabilized, and requested support for the Japanese companies operating in Mexico that are making great efforts to sustain their business and employment in Mexico. In response, Secretary Clouthier stated that she would share Japan’s requests within the Mexican government and work on improving the business environment.
- The two ministers affirmed that as the chair countries of the TPP Commission for last year and this year, Japan and Mexico would continue to work together for the TPP11’s steady implementation and expansion.
- In addition, Minister MOTEGI requested the provision of information to Japanese companies operating in Mexico on the implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is of great interest to the said companies. Furthermore, the two ministers also committed to working together for reforming the WTO, the cornerstone of the multilateral trading system.