Germany and Japan deepen their relations

Tokyo –

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and a number of ministers from both sides met in Tokyo for the first government consultations between Germany and Japan. At the start of the talks, Kishida said this would take the already close relationship between the two countries “to a new level.” Schulz also spoke of “a sign of very good relationships.” “The government consultations will push our strategic cooperation further, and it is a very important contribution to providing this close cooperation with a new impetus that we want to achieve together,” he added.

Schulz (SPD) traveled to Tokyo with six of his most important ministers. Robert Habeck (Vice Chancellor and Economics, Greens), Annalina Berbock (Outside, Greens), Christian Lindner (finance, FDP), Nancy Weisser (Insider, SPD), Boris Pistorius (Defense, SPD) and Volker Wessing (Transfer, FDP).

Governmental consultations – that is, meetings of several cabinet members from both sides – are nothing new for the federal government. In the past, for example, it already existed with China, India, Brazil and Israel and until 2012 also with Russia. In this way, relationships with partners who are already close or strategically important are deepened. For Japan, this is the first ever government consultation.

The talks will deal with the issue of economic security. The main focus is on expanding international cooperation in order to reduce dependence on individual economic forces, for example when it comes to importing raw materials. Germany wants to learn lessons from its former dependence on Russia for gas, which can only be broken again after Russia invades Ukraine through a round of force. Japan, which also imports raw materials on a large scale, has enacted its own economic security law, which the federal government considers exemplary. A separate ministerial post has also been created for the priority topic.

The meeting also deals with defense issues. the Armed forces It has already sent a warship and fighter jets to the Pacific region to enhance cooperation with friendly forces there. She wants to participate in rehearsals again this year.

Japan wants to strengthen economic cooperation

Japan wants to strengthen economic policy cooperation with Germany. “In view of the radically changing international situation, strengthening strategic cooperation between our two countries, including for the sake of shaping the international system, is of great importance,” Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura said at a meeting with Germany’s Economic Minister. Robert Habeck in Tokyo. At the beginning of the first bilateral government consultations, Habeck mentioned the development of raw material sources as a potential area of ​​cooperation.

Habeck said the topic of climate-neutral energy supplies “seems appropriate for more intensive cooperation”. “In view of the rapprochement between China and Russia and the division of the global economy, the unification of Western countries is the most important,” Nishimura said.

_{note: This report is part of an automated service provided by the German Press Agency (dpa), which operates under strict journalistic rules. It is not edited or vetted by AZ Online Editors. Questions and hints please feedback@az-muenchen.de}