Japan-Paraguay Relations
Courtesy Call on Paraguayan President-elect Peña by Minister for Foreign Affairs Hayashi
May 5, 2023
On May 5, commencing at 4:00 p.m. (local time; 5:00 a.m. on May 6 JST) for approximately one hour, Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs, who is visiting Asuncion, Paraguay, paid a courtesy call on H.E. Mr. Santiago Peña Palacios, President-elect of the Republic of Paraguay. The overview is as follows.
- At the outset, Minister Hayashi congratulated Paraguay on holding the general elections peacefully on April 30 and offered his congratulations on the election of Mr. Peña as the next president. He also stated that Paraguay is a longtime friend of Japan with the Nikkei community of 10,000 people and an important partner that shares values and principles. Minister Hayashi expressed his desire to continue to enhance bilateral relations with Paraguay under the next administration of President-elect Peña, who will take office in August this year. In response, President-elect Peña welcomed Minister Hayashi's visit to Paraguay and expressed his determination to strengthen the bilateral relations further including in the political, economic and cultural areas between Paraguay and Japan under his leadership.
- Minister Hayashi explained that Japan has been working together with Paraguay to help it develop its economic and social infrastructure and overcome its vulnerabilities, and that Japan would continue to support Paraguay's development efforts. President-elect Peña expressed his appreciation for cooperation extended by Japan and his hope for its continued assistance.
- They also exchanged views on international affairs including Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the situation in East Asia such as China and North Korea, and shared the view that they would work together to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law as well as to strengthen the functions of the United Nations.