Press Releases

1. At the outset, Executive Vice-President Séjourné and Commissioner Šefčovič welcomed Minister Akazawa and State Minister Horii to Brussels and expressed his pleasure at being able to convene the High-Level Economic Dialogue in an expanded format with an additional participating minister for the first time, as concurred at last year’s Japan-EU Summit and stated their wish to exchange views between Japan and the EU, as the strategic partners, on important topics including the promotion of rules-based international trade and economic security at the dialogue.
2. State Minister Horii stated that, Japan and the EU wish to work together across a wide range of areas, including maintaining and strengthening a free and open multilateral trading system, economic security including supply chain resilience, strengthening industrial competitiveness, and business cooperation, based on the Japan-EU Competitiveness Alliance issued at last year’s Japan-EU Summit. He also noted his wish to have a thorough discussion on the EU’s measures on steel, an outstanding issue between Japan and the EU.
3. The four ministers confirmed that they would issue a joint press statement, including an appreciation of the long-standing strategic relationship between Japan and the EU and their commitment to further strengthening it, as well as a commitment to a rules-based international order. In addition, Japanese side introduced tea and juice made respectively with Japanese tea leaves and fruit and offered them to the two EU ministers and senior officials.

The four ministers reaffirmed the importance of Japan-EU cooperation in defending the multilateral trade system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its center. They also confirmed their intention to deepen discussions to advance WTO reform, making use, as appropriate, of opportunities for dialogue between the EU and the CPTPP. In addition, they exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East and energy security.

The four ministers emphasized that cooperation among like-minded countries is important for ensuring economic security. They expressed serious concerns about non-market-oriented policies and practices (NMPPs) and the overcapacity resulting from them. They also expressed regret over the recent expansion of unjustified export restrictions and concurred on continuing to cooperate to strengthen and diversify supply chains including critical minerals, and to promote the development and protection of critical and emerging technologies.

The four ministers discussed Japan-EU business and investment cooperation, as well as building markets for strategic products. The four ministers also discussed the EU’s various measures to raise tariffs on steel products.