The European Union intends to “take” its relations with Japan to a “new level” during the upcoming summit in Tokyo, which will focus on trade and security, Japanese media reported on Tuesday.
In an interview with Kyodo News, European Council President António Costa said that the EU and Japan would “continue to work together to uphold the rules-based international order and free and fair trade” amid high tariffs imposed by the US under President Donald Trump.
Costa, who took office in December, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo on Wednesday after visiting the World Expo in Osaka, western Japan, where the interview took place.
According to diplomatic sources, the two leaders will announce the creation of a “Japan-EU Competitiveness Alliance” to support their industries through co-operation on trade and economic security.
Costa said the new partnership would be the “most important outcome” of the summit and that the EU and Japan should work not only to solve common problems but also to “benefit from our synergies, our co-operation.”
“Japan is our closest partner in the Pacific region,” Costa said, adding that he would discuss with Ishihara the possibility of co-operation between the 27-country bloc and a large-scale trans-Pacific free trade agreement involving Japan, the UK and 10 other countries.
On defence, Costa stressed that the EU would expand co-operation with Japan so that both Europe and the Asian country would be “better prepared.”
After their stay in Japan, Costa and von der Leyen plan to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday.
