Press Releases
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida Meets with Thailand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanasak
On July 4 at 11.35 a.m. for approximately 40 minutes, Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with H.E. General Tanasak Patimapragorn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, who is on a working visit to Japan to attend the Seventh Mekong-Japan Summit Meeting. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
1. In his opening remarks, Minister Kishida welcomed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanasak to Japan to attend the Seventh Mekong-Japan Summit Meeting and stated that both countries would like to contribute to the peace and stability of the region and international society ahead of the launch of the ASEAN Community at the end of this year. Minister Kishida also commented that he wanted to continue to cooperate with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanasak in order to strengthen their countries’ “strategic partnership.”
2. In response, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanasak repeatedly expressed his gratitude for the various cooperative projects being progressed between their two countries in the railway sector, including the Shinkansen bullet train. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanasak also expressed his expectation for increased cooperation with Japan centered upon agricultural products, and he exchanged opinions with Minister Kishida on these products. Both ministers sharred the view that based on the results of their discussions, further discussions would take place at the Japan-Thailand Summit Meeting to be held later that day, and that they would announce the results of their discussions at the press conference to be held after the Summit.
3. Minister Kishida stated that ahead of the launch of the ASEAN Community at the end of this year, Japan wanted to further strengthen its cooperation with Thailand and for both countries to contribute to peace and stability in the region and international society. Based on this, both ministers exchanged meaningful opinions on issues in the international arena, including in the South China Sea, the large-scale maritime refugee problem, and cooperation on United Nations Security Council reforms.
4. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanasak congratulated Nadeshiko Japan (Japan’s national women’s soccer team) on reaching the final of the World Cup and said “we will be cheering for its victory.” In response, Minister Kishida thanked him for his support and said “I am very happy that the level of soccer in Asia as a whole is improving. I hope the relationship between Japan and Thailand will further develop through soccer exchanges.”
5. Minister Kishida also commented that he hoped Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanasak “would return to Thailand with a good impression of Japan”. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanasak replied that “I receive a good impression of Japan every time I visit,” and the meeting was held from beginning to end in a friendly atmosphere.