Press Releases
Foreign Minister Kono receives courtesy call by Mr. Yair Lapid, Co-Chairman of the Blue and White Party of Israel
On Monday, August 19th 2019, commencing from 10:30 AM for about twenty minutes, Mr.Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs received a courtesy call by Mr. Yair Lapid, Co-Chairman of the Blue and White Party of Israel. The overview of the courtesy call is as follows.
1. At the outset, Foreign Minister Kono said he welcomed the fact that the bilateral relationship between Japan and Israel is steadily making progress, that he appreciates Israel’s significance for Japan in the area of cutting-edge high-technology, noted that a regular direct flight service between Israel and Japan will start next year, and hoped that this will lead to increased people-to-people exchanges.
2. In response, Mr. Lapid stated that Israel and Japan has similarities in that both are ancient people who are thriving now, that trade between the two countries have increased since the time he had been Minister of Finance and this should be continued forward, and that he wished to cooperate in areas such as the fight against international terrorism.
3. The two then exchanged views on bilateral relations, the regional situations in East Asia and the Middle East, and Israel’s domestic situation, among other matters.