Japan-Estonia Relations
Japan-Estonia Relations (Basic Data)
December 12, 2023
Basic Data
Diplomatic Relations:
- Established in October 10, 1991
- Establishment of the Embassy of Japan in Tallinn: January, 1993
- Establishment of the Embassy of Estonia in Tokyo: September, 1996
- The Japan-Estonia Friendship Group of Diet Members and the Estonia-Japan Parliament Group Established: 1996
- Mutual Waiving of Visas for Nationals of Japan and Estonia: December, 1999
- Appointment of the First Residing Ambassador of Japan: January, 2010
- The Estonia-Japan Parliament Group Re-Established: April, 2011
- The Japan-Estonia Friendship Group of Diet Members Re-activated: November, 2013
- The Estonia-Japan Parliament Group Re-activated: April, 2019
- Japan-Estonia 100th Anniversary of Friendship: January, 2021
Japanese Nationals in Estonia:
- 214 Japanese residing in Estonia (as of October, 2022, Source : Annual Report of Statistics on Japanese Nationals Overseas)
Estonian Nationals in Japan:
- 154 (as of December, 2022, Source : Immigration Services Agency of Japan)
Trade with Japan (2022) (in Japanese Yen)
- Export to Japan: 28 bil.
(timber and log houses, machineries, metals, optical and precision machineries) - Import from Japan: 29 bil.
(machineries, automobiles, auto parts, leather products) - (Source: Trade Statistics of the Ministry of Finance of Japan
Visitors between Japan and Estonia (2019)
- From Japan to Estonia: 30,256 (Source: Japan National Tourism Organization)
- From Estonia to Japan: 3,426 (Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan)
VIP Visits
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 2001 Sep. | H.E. Mr. Mihkel Parnoja, Minister of Economic Affairs |
| 2002 Jun. | H.E. Ms. Kristiina Ojuland, Minister of Foreign Affairs |
| 2004 Oct. | H.E. Mr. Arnold Ruutel, President H.E. Mr. Andrus Ansip, Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications |
| 2008 Feb. | H.E. Mr. Urmas Paet, Minister of Foreign Affairs |
| 2010 Feb. | H.E. Mr. Andrus Ansip, Prime Minister |
| 2010 Dec. | H.E. Ms. Kristiina Ojuland, Member of the European Parliament |
| 2011 Oct. | H.E. Ms. Ene Ergma, President of the Riigikogu H.E. Mr. Marko Mihkelson, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee |
| 2012 Oct. | H.E. Mr. Jürgen Ligi, Minister of Finance H.E. Mr. Ardo Hansson, Governor of Bank of Estonia |
| 2013 Mar. | H.E. Major General Riho Terras, Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces |
| 2013 Oct. | H.E. Mr. Marko Mihkelson, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Parliament of Estonia |
| 2013 Dec. | ICT Delegation (Japan-Estonia Policy Dialogue on ICT Policy and Cyber Security) |
| 2014 Jan. | H.E. Mr. Urmas Paet, Minister of Foreign Affairs |
| 2014 Mar. | H.E. Mr. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of the Republic of Estonia |
| 2014 Jun. | H.E. Mr. Evgeni Ossinovski, Minister of Education and Research |
| 2015 Jan. | H.E. Ms. Anne Sulling, Minister of Foreign Trade and Entrepreneurship |
| 2016 Apr. | H.E. Mr. Taavi Roivas, Prime Minister |
| 2017 Mar. | H.E. Ms. Urve Palo, Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology |
| 2017 Apr. | H.E. Mr. Tarmo Tamm, Minister of Rural Affairs |
| 2017 Sep. | H.E. Ms. Mailis Reps, Minister of Education and Research |
| 2018 May | H.E. Ms. Urve Palo, Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology |
| 2018 Sep. | H. E. Mr. Jüri Luik, Minister of Defence |
| 2019 Jun. | H.E. Mr. Jüri Ratas, Prime Minister |
| 2019 Oct. | H.E. Ms. Kersti Kaljulaid, President of the Republic of Estonia |
| 2020 Feb. | H.E. Mr. Jüri Ratas, Prime Minister |
| 2021 Aug. | H.E. Ms. Kersti Kaljulaid, President of the Republic of Estonia |
| 2022 Sep. | H.E. Mr. Jüri Ratas, President of the Parliament (Former Prime Minister) |
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 2002 May | Mr. UETAKE Shigeo, Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| 2002 Sep. | Mr. OTSUJI Hidehisa, Senior Vice Minister for Finance |
| 2006 Jul. | Mr. CHUMA Kouki, Minister for Special Assignment (Special Envoy of the Prime Minister) |
| 2007 May | Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress |
| 2011 May | Mr. BANNO Yutaka, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs |
| 2013 Jul. | Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) Committee on Europe |
| 2013 Aug. | Delegation of Cabinet Committee, House of Representatives |
| 2013 Sep. | Mr. NISHIMURA Yasunori, Vice Minister of Cabinet Office |
| 2014 Jul. | H.E. YAMAZAKI Masaaki, President of the House of Councillors of Japan |
| 2014 Aug. | LDP's Special Mission Committee on IT Strategy |
| 2015 Apr. | Mr. YAMAGUCHI Shunichi, Minister of State in charge of Information Technology Policy |
| 2015 May | Mr. SATO Akira, State Minister of Defense |
| 2015 Oct. | Mr. AMARI Akira, Minister in Charge of Economic Revitalization |
| 2015 Nov. | Ms. YAMADA Miki, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| 2017 Jul. | Mr. GUNJI Akira, Vice-President of the House of Councillors |
| 2017 Nov. | Mr. NAKANE Kazuyuki, State Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| 2018 Jan. | Mr. ABE Shinzo, Prime Minister |
| 2018 May | Mr. ONODERA Itsunori, Minisrer of Defense |
| 2018. Sep. | Mr. OKAMOTO Mitsunari, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| 2018 Oct. | Mr. HIRAI Takuya, Minister in charge of Information Technology Policy |
| 2019 May | Mr. SONOURA Kentaro, Special Advisor to Prime Minister |
| 2021 Jul. | Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| 2022 May | Ms. MAKISHIMA Karen, Minister for Digital |
| 2022 Oct. | Ms. YOSHIKAWA Yuumi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs |
| 2023 Jul. | Mr. KONO Taro, Minister for Digital |
| 2023 Aug. | Mr. NAGAHAMA Hiroyuki, Deputy Speaker of the House of Councillors |
Recent trends
Japan-Baltic Cooperation Dialogue:
The “Japan-Baltic Cooperation Dialogue” was established by the leaders of Japan and the Baltic countries in order to further promote Japan-Baltic cooperation in a wide range of areas when Prime Minister Abe visited the countries in January 2018 for the first time as Prime Minister of Japan.
In September 2018, the 1st Japan-Baltic Cooperation Dialogue was held in Vilnius, Lithuania and Mr. OKAMOTO Mitsunari, Japan’s Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs participated in the Dialogue. The 2nd Japan-Baltic Cooperation Dialogue was held in Riga, Latvia and Mr. MASAKI Yasushi, Director-General of European Affairs Bureau participated in the Dialogue. The 3rd Japan-Baltic Cooperation Dialogue was held in Tallinn, Estonia and Ms. YOSHIKAWA Yuumi, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs participated in the Dialogue.
IT-Cyber Cooperation:
Japan and Estonia have developed their cooperation on IT and cyber security. The First Japan - Estonia Cyber Dialogue was held in Tallinn in December 2014, followed by the second occasion that was held in Tokyo in December 2015 and the third in Tallinn in February 2017, where Japanese and Estonian sides had lively discussions. The most recent Cyber Dialogue was held online in December 2021.