Press Releases
The 6th Japan-EU High-Level Economic Dialogue
On 8 May, the 6th Japan-EU High-Level Economic Dialogue was held in Tokyo from 6:00 p.m. for approximately 1 hour. Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. MUTO Yoji, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, and Mr. Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, and Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency of the European Commission, who is visiting Japan, attended the Dialogue. The overview of the Dialogue is as follows.
1. Opening Remarks
- At the outset, Minister IWAYA welcomed Commissioner Šefčovič’s first visit to Japan on the occasion of EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. Minister IWAYA stated that Japan and the EU are strategic partners maintaining and promoting the free and open international order based on the rule of law and addressing challenges faced by the international community, and that the importance of Japan-EU cooperation is further increasing in the current difficult situation.
- In response, Commissioner Šefčovič expressed his willingness to exchange views with Japan, which is a strategic partner of the EU, on important issues such as rules-based trade and economic security at today’s Dialogue.
2. International Trade
The Ministers reaffirmed the importance of Japan-EU cooperation to uphold the free and rules-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core. They shared their commitment to working toward the necessary reforms of the WTO to improve all its functions. The Ministers also exchanged their views on the significant challenges that the global economic order is now facing.
3. Economic Security
The Ministers stressed the importance of cooperation among like-minded partners in ensuring economic security. They expressed concerns over non-market policies and practices and overcapacity resulting from them, and confirmed their cooperation in enhancing supply-chain resilience. They welcomed the substantial progress achieved under the “Transparent, Resilient and Sustainable Supply Chains Initiative,” especially coordinated efforts on criteria that take into account not only economic factors, but also factors linked to the principles of transparency, diversification, security, sustainability, and trustworthiness and reliability. They also concurred to continue cooperation on strengthening and diversifying critical minerals supply chains, and promoting and protecting critical and emerging technologies. They committed to enhancing their cooperation with like-minded partners, including through the G7, as well as engaging with emerging markets and developing countries.
4. Future Collaboration
The Ministers underlined the importance of Japan-EU cooperation for contributing to global governance and of strengthening the High-Level Economic Dialogue to address issues including economic security and industrial competitiveness.
(Reference) Transparent, Resilient and Sustainable Supply Chains Initiative
Launched at the Japan-EU High-Level Economic Dialogue of May 2, 2024, to coordinate and advance their efforts on policies for building more transparent, resilient and sustainable supply chains. Under this initiative, Japan and the EU have discussed the approach to the criteria that take into account not only economic factors, but also factors linked to the principles of transparency, diversification, security, sustainability, and trustworthiness and reliability, and coordination with like-minded countries, among others.