Japan-Mexico Relations
Japan-Mexico Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
February 21, 2024
On February 21, commencing from 5:00 p.m. (local time: February 22, 5:00 a.m. JST) for approximately 30 minutes, Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who is visiting Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, held a meeting with H.E. Dr. Alicia BÁRCENA IBARRA, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the United Mexican States. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
- At the outset, Minister Kamikawa welcomed the second meeting with the Secretary Bárcena and expressed her gratitude for messages of condolences from her Mexican counterpart for the affected areas and victims of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. She also expressed her intention to continue to cooperate for the mitigation of the impacts of natural disasters in the future, sharing experiences of natural disasters Minister Kamikawa also stated that this year's G20 and APEC meetings in Latin America provide an excellent occasions to strengthen the relationship between Japan and Latin America and the Caribbean, and expressed her will to take these opportunities to strengthen the global strategic partnership between the two countries connected by unique ties. Secretary Bárcena coincided with Minister Kamikawa in appreciating their reunion and expressed Mexico's high appreciation and great confidence in its relationship with Japan, and her expectations for further investment in Mexico by Japanese companies, especially bearing in mind the importance of nearshoring and relocation, in electric mobility and large-scale infrastructure projects in Mexico. She also expressed her desire to cooperate with Japan in the area of human security, and while expressing gratitude for JICA's support against natural disasters, she stated that there are further cooperation opportunities between Japan and Mexico, which share common challenges such as earthquakes and hurricanes, and that she would like to work together on these issues.
- Minister Kamikawa stated that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Agreement between Japan and the United Mexican States for the Strengthening of the Economic Partnership (Japan-Mexico EPA) and the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Mexico, and that investment and trade between the two countries have expanded dramatically. She also expressed her expectation that the economic relationship between the two countries as well as human exchange, such as tourism and dispatches of scholars, will be further strengthened. She also expressed her desire to work together with Secretary Bárcena. Secretary Bárcena stated that Mexico takes the Minister's request seriously and that Mexico is aware of and addressing such situation. She also expressed her intention to convey such concerns to the President's Office and to take action to ensure that Japanese companies can rest assured in investing in Mexico. Also, she stated that the Cooperation Program for the Training of Human Resources, under the Global Strategic Partnership Between Mexico-Japan confirms cooperation for the next 50 years, and that Mexico would like to continue to work with Japan not only in the economy, but also in the fields of science, technology, and culture, as well as in visits between the two countries.
- Minister Kamikawa stated that Japan is strongly promoting "Women, Peace, and Security (WPS)" in order to realize peace, stability, and prosperity in the international community, and that the importance of further leadership of women was one of the issues at the recent Japan-Ukraine Economic Reconstruction Promotion Conference, and that Japan is also addressing the issue of migration in Central America from the perspective of WPS, such as by providing support to Central American countries’ efforts through UN Women. Minister Kamikawa also expressed her intension to work with Mexico, which has traditionally promoted gender issues as a pillar of its foreign policy including "feminist diplomacy" and promotion of WPS, including sharing their good practices. In response, Secretary Bárcena welcomed Japan's policy of promoting the WPS and expressed her desire to work together in providing assistance to third countries in the region and in international discussions on the WPS and Central American immigration issues, while taking women’s perspectives into consideration.
- Minister Kamikawa welcomed that in the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) in May, which will be chaired by Japan, Mexico will serve as Vice-Chair, celebrating its 30th anniversary of its accession to the OECD. The two ministers shared the view to work together towards the successful outcome of the MCM.