Japan-Brazil Relations
Japan-Brazil Foreign Ministers' Meeting
February 20, 2025
On February 20, commencing at 6:20 p.m. (local time; 1:20 a.m. on February 21 JST) for approximately 30 minutes, Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, who is visiting Johannesburg, South Africa, to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Mauro Vieira, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The overview is as follows.
- At the outset, Minister Iwata stated that this year marks the 130th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Brazil. He also expressed his willingness to welcoming President Lula to Japan next month as part of his State Visit and to cooperate in making this a success.
- Minister Iwaya expressed his desire to further strengthen bilateral relations as Strategic and Global Partners that share values and principles, and stated that the two countries have been working closely together in the areas of environment and climate change under the “Japan-Brazil Green Partnership Initiative (GPI)”. Both Ministers also confirmed that Japan and Brazil will continue to promote bilateral cooperation toward the success of COP30, which Brazil will chair this year, including recovery of degraded pastures. Furthermore, Minister Iwaya called for Brazil's participation in the GREEN×EXPO 2027.
- The two Ministers concurred in continuing to work together to take the longstanding good trade and investment relationship between Japan and MERCOSUR to a higher level through further strategic development of the economic relationship between the two countries.
- The two Ministers also discussed regional and international issues such as Ukraine, the Middle East, and the situation in East Asia. Minister Iwaya asked anew for continued understanding and cooperation of Brazil for the immediate resolution of the abductions issue by North Korea. They also confirmed that UN reform, including UN Security Council reform, is urgently needed and concurred on work together continuously as G4 to achieve concrete results on the basis of the outcomes of the Future Summit this year which marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN.