On 28 March, the European Union and Japan reviewed recent progress under their Strategic Partnership Agreement in Tokyo, during their first in-person Joint Committee since 2020.
The meeting covered a wide-ranging agenda, from cooperation to address pressing global challenges, to achieving sustainable economic recovery and managing the green and digital transitions. Discussions also addressed maintaining the international rules-based order, faced with the blatant violation of the principles of the UN Charter represented by Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, and continuing support for human rights.
The priorities of Japan’s G7 Presidency and membership of the United Nations Security Council featured prominently during the meeting. The Joint Committee addressed the problems of health, education, food security and sustainable financing faced by much of the world’s population, where EU-Japan collaboration can make a difference.
The EU and Japan welcomed the agreement on specific priority activities under the pioneering Digital Partnership agreed at the last bilateral summit, as well as the ongoing development of the Green Alliance, under its climate change, energy and environmental themes. They noted also new momentum under the Partnership for High Quality and Sustainable Connectivity, with the identification of promising projects for increased coordination and the signature of a new horizontal agreement on air services.
Acknowledging the potential benefits of closer collaboration in science, technology and innovation, the EU and Japan agreed to intensify talks on the possible association of Japan to the Horizon Europe Research Framework Programme. They exchanged also on other cross-cutting or enabling areas of collaboration, such as industrial cooperation, labour, education and culture.
Recognising the growing geopolitical instability and pressure on the security environment, the EU and Japan stated the need for continued strong cooperation in multilateral fora. They expressed willingness to increase bilateral cooperation in pursuit of peace and security, including in the cyber, maritime, disinformation, space and operational domains.
The Joint Committee also anticipated preparations for the 29th EU-Japan Summit in Brussels in the second half of 2023.
The meeting was co-chaired on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan by Director-General for European Affairs, Masashi Nakagome, and for the EU by Managing Director for the Asia Pacific of the European External Action Service, Gunnar Wiegand.
Source: EU Delegation to Japan
Published: June 2023