October 28, 2023
On October 28, the Japan-EU High-level Economic Dialogue was held in-person from 10:05 a.m. for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. NISHIMURA Yasutoshi, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Mr. Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice President of the European Commission for an Economy that Works for People, European Commissioner for Trade, who is visiting Japan to attend the G7 Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Osaka-Sakai, attended the Dialogue.
1. Opening Remarks
- At the outset, Minister Kamikawa pointed out that as the world stands at an inflection point in history, cooperation between Japan and the European Union (EU), which share values and principles, is more important than ever, and expressed her intention to hold a candid exchange of views on recent developments in international trade and Japan-EU cooperation, among other matters.
- In response, Executive Vice President Dombrovskis stated congratulations on Minister Kamikawa’s appointment as the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, and expressed his pleasure to be able to visit Japan.
2. Agreement in Principle in Negotiations to Include Provisions on the Free Flow of Data into the Japan-EU EPA
- Regarding the negotiations to include provisions on the free flow of data into the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which have continued since last October, in light of the consensus reached at the working level on the text, the Ministers and the Executive Vice-President confirmed and welcomed the reaching of an agreement in principle in the negotiations, and confirmed their intention to accelerate joint work to swiftly set specific draft articles, towards an early signing.
- Minister Kamikawa expressed her gratitude to Executive Vice President Dombrovskis for his leadership and great efforts leading up to the reaching of the agreement in principle, as well as her expectation to further strengthen Japan-EU cooperative relations based on the Japan-EU EPA.
- In response, Executive Vice President Dombrovskis stated that he welcomes the agreement in principle as an achievement for facilitating business, and expressed his intention to work towards an early signing.
3. Current topics
- The Ministers and the Executive Vice-President held a candid exchange of views on recent developments, including, as recent matters of concern in international trade, “Addressing Economic Coercion,” “Building Resilient Supply Chains,” and “Export Control.” Minister Kamikawa emphasized the importance of cooperation among the G7 and among like-minded countries.
- The Ministers and the Executive Vice-President agreed to establish a “working group on international collaboration for building more transparent, resilient and sustainable supply chains” between Japan and the EU.
- Regarding the discharge of Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) treated water into the sea, which Japan commenced in August this year, Minister Kamikawa stated that Japan will continue to undergo reviews by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and provide explanations to the international community in a highly transparent manner and in a sincere manner, based on scientific evidence, and sought the understanding of the EU side.
4. Closing Remarks
Minister Kamikawa expressed her intention to continue to cooperate with the EU, on the basis of the achievements of the 29th Japan-EU Summit Meeting in July, where Japan and the EU confirmed the outcomes of the G7 Hiroshima Summit and shared the view to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law. The Ministers and the Executive Vice-President reaffirmed the importance of Japan-EU cooperative relations.
