Press Releases
Fifth Round of Negotiations on a Japan EU Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA)
1. The fifth round of negotiations on a Japan-EU Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) was held in Tokyo from June 23 to 25.
2. The meeting was attended by, on the Japanese side, Mr. Koichi Hasegawa, Deputy Director General of the European Affairs Bureau, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (Chief Negotiator) and other representatives, and on the EU side, Mr. Viorel Isticioaia Budura, Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific, the European External Action Service (Chief Negotiator) and other representatives.
3. At the meeting, the two sides deepened the discussion on the content of the Agreement and further progress was made toward convergence of their positions in some areas.
4. The next round of negotiations is scheduled to take place in Brussels this autumn.