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Working Lunch between Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs MATSUMOTO and Mr. Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway

February 3, 2025
Parliamentary Vice-Minister Matsumoto shaking hands with State Secretary KRAVIK

On February 3, Mr. MATSUMOTO Hisashi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs held a working lunch with Mr. Andreas Motzfeldt KRAVIK, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway, who was visiting Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

  1. At the outset, Parliamentary Vice-Minister Matsumoto, welcomed dramatic deepening of bilateral relations through active exchanges between high-level officials, such as State Secretary Kraavik's second visit to Japan since June last year. Parliamentary Vice-Minister Matsumoto also stated that this year marks the 120th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Norway, and expressed his hope to strengthen cooperation between the two countries as maritime nations to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law.
  2. In response, State Secretary Kravik stated that, following the elevation of relationship to a strategic partnership in 2023, he hopes to continue to work closely with Japan through initiatives in the areas of security, Ocean, as well as collaboration between companies in both countries on the green transition and AI.
  3. The both sides exchanged views on the utilization of marine resources as maritime nations, cooperation through NATO, regional affairs such as the situation in the Middle East and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the situation in East Asia, and confirmed that they would continue to work closely together on various issues facing the international community.

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