Japan-Spain Relations
Japan-Spain Relations (Basic Data)
September 10, 2019
Basic Data
Diplomatic Relations
Established in 1868 with the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation.
Japanese Nationals in Spain
8,192 (October 2017) (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)
Spanish Nationals in Japan:
3,368 (December 2018) (Source: Ministry of Justice of Japan)
Economic Relations
- Export: 372.5 billion yen (2018) (Transportation equipment, machinery, and electronic machinery)
- Import: 370.4 billion yen (2018) (Food, chemicals, and transportation equipment)
Direct Investment from Japan
Balance of direct investment as of 2018: 815.5 billion yen
VIP Visits
Year | Name |
---|---|
2013 | His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince |
2014 | Minister for Foreign Affairs Kishida Prime Minister Abe Minister for Reconstruction Nemoto |
2017 | President of the House of Councillors Date Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Takisawa |
2018 | State Minister for Foreign Affairs Nakane Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Seko Prime Minister Abe |
2019 | Minister of State for Special Missions Hirai |
Year | Name |
---|---|
2010 | President of the Government Zapatero Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Moratinos Minister for Industry, Tourism and Trade Sebastian Minister of Science and Innovation Garmendia y Mendizábal |
2011 | Minister for Culture Gonzalez-Sinde |
2012 | Minister for Economic Affairs and Competitiveness De Guindos |
2013 | Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Garcia-Margallo President of the Senate Garcia-Escudero President of the Government Rajoy |
2014 | President of the Congress Posada Minister for Defense Morenés |
2015 | Minister for Economic Affairs and Competitiveness De Guindos |
2017 | Their Majesties the King Felipe VI and the Queen Letizia Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Dastis |
2018 | Minister for Defense De Cospedal |
2019 | Acting President of the Government Sanchez Minister of Industry Maroto Minister of Economy and Enterprise Calviño |
Other Exchanges
- The Japan-Spain Symposium, which is attended by leading intellectuals of both countries, has been held since 1997.
- In Spain, Japanese language education and Japanese studies have become popular in recent years, and through the cooperation of the governments and the private sectors in Japan and Spain, the Centro Cultural Hispano-Japonés was opened at the University of Salamanca in the spring of 1999. The Spanish government opened the Cervantes Institute in Tokyo in 2008. The Japan Foundation opened an office in Madrid in 2010 to further promote understanding of Japanese culture in Spain.
- In relation to tourism, 551,000 Japanese tourists visited Spain in 2018. The number of Spanish visitors to Japan reached a record high of 119,000 in 2018.
- Twelve sister-city agreements have been reached between Japanese and Spanish cities.
- Nara – Toledo, Yamaguchi – Pamplona, Marugame – San Sebastián, Kure – Marbella, Ofunato – Paros de la Frontera, Mie Prefecture – Valencia State, Kobe – Barcelona, Kiyosu – Jerez de la Frontera, Toyooka – Alicante, Wakayama Prefecture (Kumano Kodō) – Galicia State (Camino de Santiago), Yamaguchi Prefecture – Navarra State, Ube – Castellón de la Plana