Press Releases

At the outset, Minister MOTEGI welcomed Foreign Minister Gunnarsdóttir to Japan and stated that Japan and Iceland are important partners who share values and principles such as freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. He emphasized that cooperation among like-minded countries is increasingly important amidst the turbulent international situation. He stated that Japan intends to take the opportunity of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Iceland this year to promote concrete cooperation in a wide range of fields, including security, the Arctic, economy, science and technology, and cultural and human exchange, and to further elevate bilateral relations. In response, Foreign Minister Gunnarsdóttir expressed her pleasure to visit Japan and her desire to further deepen the excellent bilateral relations through this visit. 

1. The two foreign ministers shared the view that the security of Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific are inseparable, and that any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion are unacceptable anywhere in the world. They also shared the view that cooperation among like-minded countries is important to uphold a free and open international order based on the rule of law, especially now that the international order is undergoing the greatest structural change since the post-war period, and concurred that they would promote cooperation between the two countries in the areas of security and defense.
2. The two foreign ministers also concurred to further promote cooperation based on the "Joint Statement on Geothermal Cooperation" issued by the governments of Japan and Iceland in 2023, considering the needs and objectives of both countries, which possess abundant geothermal resources.
3. The two foreign ministers welcomed the expansion of the age eligibility for working holiday visa applications from January this year and concurred to deepen mutual understanding through the invigoration of exchanges among students and young people.

1. Minister Motegi stated that Japan highly appreciated Iceland's important role as an Arctic state and explained Japan’s initiatives related to the Arctic. The two foreign ministers concurred to continue deepening cooperation on issues surrounding the Arctic.
2. The two foreign ministers also exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine, their policies toward North Korea, such as on the nuclear and missile issues as well as the abductions issue, as well as the situation in the Indo-Pacific, and concurred to cooperate closely.