Japan-Mexico Relations
Japan-Mexico Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
On August 17, commencing at 1 p.m. (local time) for approximately 90 minutes, Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on his visit to the United Mexican States, held a foreign ministers’ meeting (lunch meeting) with H.E. Dr. Carlos de Icaza González, Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, at the Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Affairs. The overview is as follows.
1. At the beginning, Minister Kono expressed gratitude for the condolences and proposal of assistance extended by Mexico with regard to the torrential rain disaster in July in Japan. Acting Foreign Secretary de Icaza welcomed and thanked Minister Kono for his second visit, which follows the visit in May this year.
2. After exchanging views on the progress with the bilateral relationship, Minister Kono expressed gratitude for the Mexican cooperation with regard to the bilateral relationship, which is closer than ever before, and stated that he intends to maintain and strengthen this relationship in a smooth manner with Mexico’s next administration also. Acting Foreign Secretary de Icaza noted that as a result of high-level exchanges in recent years, the relationship between the two countries is growing steadily stronger, and he expressed the view that this important bilateral relationship should be maintained further and developed underthe next administration.
3. With regard to the TPP11 Agreement, the two sides shared the view that Japan and Mexico, which have completed their domestic procedures, will continue to work together towards the early entry into force of the TPP11 Agreement and its expansion. In addition, with regard to the renegotiation of the NAFTA, Minister Kono once again expressed gratitude for Mexico’s position of taking into consideration the interests of Japanese companies that operate businesses in Mexico, and requested the continued cooperation of the Government of Mexico. In response, Acting Foreign Secretary de Icaza explained that Mexico will continue to work to ensure that the NAFTA renegotiation does not have an impact on investment in Mexico by Japanese companies.
4. In addition, the two sides shared the view that they will continue to cooperate closely on the North Korea issue and on strengthening the future relationship with the Pacific Alliance, which Mexico belongs to. They also exchanged views on cooperation in the international arena, including disarmament.
5. At the end of the meeting, H.E. Dr. Luis Videgaray Caso, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, who is away on business, made a phone call and the two sides confirmed that they will work closely together in order to develop the bilateral relationship in the future also.