Press Releases

At the G7 Trade Ministers’ Meeting, discussions focused on addressing non-market policies and practices leading to global excess industrial capacities, fostering value chains resilience for critical minerals, addressing challenges related to small parcels, and the outcomes of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) and its future. Also, an informal discussion was held on the economic and trade impacts of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East.
In his statement, State Minister HORII emphasized the necessity of G7’s central role to address non-market policies and practices posing serious risks to the economic security and to reduce dependency of critical minerals on particular countries, isusues related to arbitrary export restrictions, as well as the importance of continuing efforts to realize WTO reform early to maintain and strengthen the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core.

State Minister HORII held meetings with H.E. Mr. Nicolas Forissier, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, who hosted the G7 Trade Ministers’ Meeting. State Minister HORII emphasized the importance of cooperation with like-minded countries including France, the current G7 presidency, in the midst of an increasingly severe regional security environment, and reaffirmed maintaining and strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
Also, State Minister HORII held meetings with Mr. Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the OECD. He pointed out the importance of the OECD’s role in the face of various challenges to multilateralism, and stated that Japan would like to cooperate with the OECD in the field of economic security.