Press Releases
Meeting between Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and H.E. Mr. Somsavat Lengsavad, Deputy Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic
On October 7, commencing at 2:40 p.m. for approximately 25 minutes, Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Somsavat Lengsavad, Deputy Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, who was visiting Japan to attend the “Lao Economic and Investment Seminar” (jointly hosted by the ASEAN-Japan Centre and Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment of Lao PDR). The overview of the meeting is as follows:
1. Foreign Minister Kishida began by welcoming Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat to Japan, and expressed his hope for strengthening the “comprehensive partnership” between Japan and Lao PDR. Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat congratulated Tokyo’s successful bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020. He also expressed gratitude for the support Japan has extended to Laos thus far, and said he would hope for continued support toward Lao economic and social development in areas such as basic infrastructure, the economy, human resources development and health.
2. Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat explained that as a result of a previous Laos Investment Seminar that he had participated in, investment in Laos by Japanese companies has increased. Minister Kishida requested the Lao side’s cooperation in fostering a more attractive investment environment for Japanese companies as the number of Japanese companies operating in Laos has rapidly increasing.
3. Minister Kishida and Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat confirmed cooperation toward the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Laos in 2015.
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