Kyodo News reported on the 13th that at a press conference, Kishida pointed out that in order to maintain and expand a free and fair international economic order, " it is important for Japan and Germany, which have industrial structures and high-end technological capabilities, to cooperate . " He emphasized that he had reached such a consensus with Scholz.
Regarding security, Kishida mentioned that Europe, the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific regions are inseparable. He said that the two sides will further strengthen cooperation while agreeing to hold the foreign and defense ministers' consultations (2+2) framework at an early date.
Kishida welcomed the German Air Force fighter jets and Navy frigates that plan to come to Japan this summer, saying, "I am very encouraged and highly appreciate the clear and visible strengthening of participation in the Indo-Pacific region. " Looking at China's increased maritime activities, Scholz emphasized that " compliance with international law is important . "
"Everything comes into play, whether it's the question of raw materials, where they come from, or the question of dependencies on certain production chains that are needed for the future economic development," Scholz said at a joint news conference with Kishida, stressing the importance of not being dependent on semiconductors.
Kishida said: "It is important that allies and like-minded countries take a united response to economic security challenges." Scholz also called for joint efforts to reduce supply dependence on certain countries and regions.
Kishida also addressed what Japan and its Western partners in the Group of Seven (G7) see as China’s industrial overcapacity and “non-market policies and practices”, saying these have “weakened the economies of other industrialised countries”.
As part of efforts to accelerate bilateral cooperation between Japan and Germany, the two leaders agreed to hold high-level intergovernmental talks in Germany, possibly next year, to address a wide range of global and regional issues.
In order to maintain a free and fair economic order, the two sides agreed to establish a new consultation mechanism on economic security and will strengthen cooperation in strategic areas such as semiconductors, stable supply of important minerals, hydrogen energy and clean energy.
The economic and security consultation mechanism will be composed of senior officials from the two countries' foreign ministries, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection. The intergovernmental consultations were first held in Tokyo in March last year, with the two and their six ministers attending.
During the talks, the two sides also welcomed the arrival of German Air Force fighters and naval frigates in Japan scheduled for this summer, as well as the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force training fleet docking in Germany. In view of the fact that the "Agreement on the Mutual Provision of Supplies and Services" (ACSA ) between the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the German Army came into effect on the 12th , the two sides agreed to promote defense cooperation.
The two sides also confirmed that they will work together to form international rules on next-generation information and communication technologies, networks, artificial intelligence (AI ), etc.
A German frigate is scheduled to visit a Japanese port this summer, while a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force training squadron plans to stop in the northern German city of Hamburg, Japanese officials said.
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