Japan – Meeting between M. Jean-Yves Le Drian and Mr Toshimitsu Motegi, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs (1 October 2020)

M. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, had a meeting on Thursday 1 October with Mr Toshimitsu Motegi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan.

The ministers hailed the momentum of our bilateral partnership. They highlighted the progress on the implementation of the road map adopted during the French President’s State visit to Tokyo in June 2019.

M. Jean-Yves Le Drian welcomed the deepening of the Franco-Japanese partnership in the Indo-Pacific and stressed the need to strengthen our partnership in the areas of infrastructure, maritime security, the environment and health. He highlighted the need to continue our political-military dialogue. The two ministers talked about the major international and regional issues, particularly the North Korea situation.

M. Jean-Yves Le Drian called for international efforts to be stepped up to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, coordinate economic recovery efforts and, in a spirit of friendship and reciprocity, continue the relaxing of restrictions on French nationals entering Japanese territory. He expressed the hope that the health situation would make it possible for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in 2021. The ministers reaffirmed their desire for the France in Japan Season to be held from October 2021 to March 2022.