Japan-Chile Relations
Japan-Chile Summit Meeting
May 11, 2025
On May 11, commencing at 2:00 p.m. for approximately 70 minutes, Mr. ISHIBA Shigeru, Prime Minister of Japan, held a summit meeting with H.E. Mr. Gabriel BORIC FONT, President of the Republic of Chile, who was paying a visit to Japan as an official Guest of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.The overview of the summit meeting is as follows.
1. Introduction
- Prime Minister Ishiba sincerely welcomed President Boric's first visit to Japan on the occasion of Chile's National Day of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, on May 12, and expressed his desire to further strengthen relations with Chile, a strategic partner that will celebrate the 130th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2027.
- In response, President Boric expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome he received during his visit to Japan and his desire to further develop the relationship between the two countries.
- Prime Minister Ishiba also expressed his appreciation to President Boric’s affinity to Japanese cultures, while the two leaders referred to Japanese literary authors as MORI Ogai, INOUE Yasushi, MURAKAMI Haruki, MISHIMA Yukio and KAWABATA Yasunari.
2. Bilateral Relations
- Prime Minister Ishiba stated that he would like to further deepen bilateral cooperation in the mining industry, in which area Chile is Japan's largest supplier of copper and lithium, taking advantage of Japan's advanced technologies.
- He also mentioned that salmon and wine have been exported from Chile to Japan and are well known in Japan.
- President Boric expressed his gratitude for the Chile-based initiatives to develop human resources in the field of disaster prevention in Latin America (also known as “KIZUNA project”) as both countries face the common challenge of being disaster-prone countries. In response, Prime Minister Ishiba explained Japan's efforts in the field of disaster prevention, such as the enhancement of disaster evacuation shelters, and expressed his intention to promote bilateral cooperation between Japan and Chile in the disaster prevention area.
- Prime Minister Ishiba also expressed his intention to further deepen bilateral cooperation between Japan and Chile in the areas of space and astronomy noting that a ceremony was held last year to celebrate the completion of the University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory telescope site.
3. Regional Issues
- The two leaders discussed a wide range of economic issues, taking into account the impact of U.S. tariff measures on the global economy and the multilateral free trade system and also reaffirmed the importance of free trade as the world faces a historic turning point.
- The two leaders also exchanged views on the situation in East Asia, their policies toward North Korea such as its nuclear and missile issues and the abductions issue, and concurred to work together.Prime Ministe Ishiba received the understanding and support for the immediate resolution of the abductions issues.