EU and Japan agree on closer cooperation

Japan and the European Union (EU) aim to further strengthen their cooperation in the areas of economic security, trade and defence. For this purpose, both sides launched a "Competitiveness Alliance" at a summit meeting in Tokyo. "We will expand our cooperation on increasing the resilience of supply chains and reducing strategic dependencies," a joint final declaration stated. At the same time, the EU and Japan emphasised the importance of promoting free trade and multilateralism.

Closer cooperation has become even more important against the backdrop of a "complex global geopolitical environment, in particular Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the serious challenges to a free and open Indo-Pacific, and other regional and international issues", the declaration continued. The EU and Japan are determined "to work with like-minded international partners to address these challenges".