Press Releases
Japan-New Zealand Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
February 27, 2023
On February 27, commencing at 6:30 p.m., for approximately one hour and 50 minutes, Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a meeting and working dinner with Hon. Nanaia Mahuta, Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, who is visiting Japan as a guest of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The overview is as follows. Furthermore, after the meeting, the two ministers issued the Joint Declaration between the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand on Cooperation in the Pacific Islands Region.
- At the outset, Minister Hayashi expressed his heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the victims, their bereaved families, and those affected by the cyclone which occurred in New Zealand this month, and Minister Mahuta expressed her gratitude. The two ministers agreed that Japan and New Zealand are “Strategic Cooperative Partners” which share fundamental values and they would further strengthen bilateral coordination toward realization of a “free and open Indo-Pacific” in the midst of a situation in which very foundation of the international order is shaking.
- Minister Hayashi stated that Japan would strengthen its security cooperation with like-minded countries, including New Zealand, based on its new National Security Strategy. In addition, they agreed on the importance of the Information Security Agreement under negotiations which serves as the foundation for bilateral security and defense cooperation. Moreover, in the economic field, the two ministers welcomed that concrete bilateral cooperation is making progress in the fields such as hydrogen, ammonia.
- The two ministers also exchanged views on the situation in Pacific Island countries and the cooperation among like-minded countries. They agreed to further promote cooperation toward the shared goals of the resilience and unity of the Pacific Island countries, in line with the priorities of the region, such as maritime security, climate change, infrastructure, supporting “The 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent” of the Pacific Islands Forum under the “Joint Declaration between the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand on Cooperation in the Pacific Islands Region” newly issued.
- The two ministers also had a candid discussion on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) from a strategic perspective. Minister Hayashi stated that Japan would support New Zealand, the chair of the CPTPP this year, and the two ministers shared the importance of protecting the high standards of the agreement and confirmed that Japan and New Zealand would continue to work closely together.
- The two ministers also exchanged views on regional affairs, and they shared the view that they would support ASEAN-centrality and unity, and confirmed that they would continue to coordinate closely together, utilizing frameworks for cooperation among like-minded countries such as Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea.
- The two ministers confirmed the willingness to continue efforts to work together on sanctions against Russia and support for Ukraine in cooperation among like-minded countries, regarding Russia’s aggression into Ukraine, and welcomed that the resolution calling for a peace in Ukraine was adopted in the United Nations General Assembly on February 23. Furthermore, they shared the view that Russia’s nuclear threat is absolutely unacceptable, and Russia should never use nuclear weapons under any circumstances. In addition, the two ministers confirmed that they would continue to cooperate closely in their response to North Korea, including the nuclear and missile activities and the abductions issue. Furthermore, the two ministers concurred on closely cooperating in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation including maintaining and strengthening the Treaty on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
(Reference)Attached
Joint Declaration between the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand on Cooperation in the Pacific Islands Region(English (PDF)
/ Japanese (PDF))