Countries & Regions
Courtesy Call on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe by H.E. Dr. José Antonio Meade Kuribreña, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the United Mexican States
On June 27, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received a courtesy call from H.E. Dr. José Antonio Meade Kuribreña, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the United Mexican States, who was on a working visit to Japan upon invitation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
1. Prime Minister Abe welcomed Secretary of Foreign Affairs Meade to Japan and stated that relations between the two countries are developing, as demonstrated by Prime Minister Abe’s four meetings with President Enrique Peña Nieto, including when President Peña Nieto visited Japan in April last year. Prime Minster Abe also noted that Secretary of Foreign Affairs Meade’s latest visit promises to be an opportunity to further advance bilateral relations via meetings with members of the business community and parliament, including Minister for Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida. Secretary Meade replied that Mexico also hopes to strengthen relations with Japan, and reconfirmed the Government of Mexico’s invitation to Prime Minister Abe to visit Mexico, as has already been conveyed by President Peña Nieto.
2. Prime Minister Abe stated that Mexico is the foundation of Japan’s Latin American policies, and explained the importance of continuing close dialogue. In response, Secretary Meade noted that this year marks the 400th anniversary of the Hasekura Mission’s arrival in Mexico, the 10th anniversary of the conclusion of the Japan-Mexico Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), the 55th anniversary of Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi’s visit to Mexico, and the 30th anniversary of Minister for Foreign Affairs Shintaro Abe’s visit. Prime Minister Abe noted that in recent years Mexico and Japan have become countries with a special relationship in which trade and investment relations are also developing steadily, and that he would like to undertake dialogue and cooperation in a wide range of fields.
3. Secretary Meade stated that economic relations are enhancing, in terms of Japanese investment in Mexico, which has reached 12 billion USD, of which half implemented in the past three years, the value of Japan-Mexico trade, which has doubled in recent years to reach 22 billion USD, and the number of Japanese tourists visiting Mexico, which exceeds 100,000 people. Secretary Meade also stated that Abenomics is attracting strong interest in Mexico and Latin America, and that the “three arrows” of Abenomics are on target. Prime Minister Abe expressed his expectation that investment from Mexico will increase because of the expanding domestic demand in the Japanese economy brought on by Abenomics, and further strengthen the bilateral economic relations.