Press Releases
Japan-Mongolia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
On September 27, commencing at 5:35 p.m. for approximately 55 minutes, Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Tsend Munkh-Orgil, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, who is visiting Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
1. Bilateral Relations
Foreign Minister Kishida welcomed Foreign Minister Munkh-Orgil’s choice of Japan as the first country in Asia to visit after his appointment as Foreign Minister.
The two Foreign Ministers welcomed the entry into force of the Japan-Mongolia Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in June, and agreed to make the Japan-Mongolia relationship ever more mutually beneficial while accelerating the work on developing the next-stage action plan for the two countries as confirmed at the Japan-Mongolia Summit Meeting held in Ulaanbaatar in July. They also agreed to continue to develop the Japan-Mongolia relationship, with the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year in mind.
2. Situation in North Korea
The two Foreign Ministers exchanged views on the recent situation in North Korea, including North Korea’s nuclear and missile development. In this exchange, Foreign Minister Kishida stated that North Korea’s repeated nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches constituted an unprecedented level of threat, and we need to pursue a further response, and that it is necessary for the international community to deliver a strong message that any further provocative acts by North Korea won’t be tolerated at all. He also expressed a desire to collaborate towards the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution including new sanctions. It was confirmed that Mongolia would cooperate for an early resolution of the abductions issue.The two Foreign Ministers agreed to continue to cooperate regarding regional issues including the situation in North Korea.