Ordinary meetings
Meeting of 20 April 2023 in Strasbourg
The Japan delegation meeting took place on Thursday 20 April 2023 at 9.00-11.00 in Strasbourg with an exchange of views on 'Society 5.0: Japan's strategy to respond to social challenges of the Information Society' with
- Dr Yuko Harayama, Professor Emeritus, Tohoku University / Co-chair of the Board of Directors of the Japanese Association for the Advancement of Science (JAAS), and
- Mr Stefan Kramer, Digital Policy Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to Japan, the European External Action Service (EEAS).
Meeting of 28 November 2022 in Brussels
This meeting took place on Monday 28 November 2022 in room ASP 3E3 from 16.00 to 17.30. It was held in camera - and focussed on debriefing all Members on the recent 40th EU-Japan IPM in Tokyo and Nagoya.
The meeting was held in EN only
The meeting was held in EN only
Meeting of 24 October 2022 in Brussels
The meeting took place on Monday 24 October with an exchange of views with Philipp Gross, Deputy Head of Division, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific (ASIAPAC.5), the External Action Service and Marco Chirullo, Deputy Head of Unit, DG TRADE, the European Commission. Ambassador MASAKI Yasushi, Mission of Japan to the European Union gave a presentation on the latest events in Japan ahead of the 40th EU-Japan IPM in Tokyo and Nagoya 31 October - 2 November 2022.
Meeting of the 20 June 2022 in Brussels
The delegation meeting took place on Monday 20 June from 16hr-17hr in Brussels. Following the departure of the previous First Vice Chair Eric Andrieu, MEP Dan Nica (RO, S&D) was elected by acclamation as the new First Vice Chair of the Delegation for relations with Japan. An open discussion took place between Mr Bruno Gautrais, Head of Unit DG SANTE, the Japanese Mission and Japan Delegation Members on remaining EU's import restrictions to food stuffs from Japan following the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in 2011. The matter was described by the Japanese Ambassador as "the single most thorny issue in the EU-Japan Strategic Partnership". Ambassador MASAKI Yasushi, Mission of Japan to the EU, stressed that the import measures on Japanese products should be resolved by scientific data and findings and that Japan is requesting the EU to eliminate the restrictive measures as soon as possible. A further discussion covered the 40th EU-Japan IPM to be held in Tokyo later in the year.
Meeting of 28 April with Members of Japan's National Diet on Russia's war on Ukraine
MEPs led by Chair Christel Schaldemose, met via the internet with Mr Hajime FUNADA, President of Japan-EU Interparliamentary League of Friendship of the National Diet of Japan and several Diet members. The meeting, a follow up to an exchange of views with Ambassador Yasushi MASAKI, also a letter on Ukraine sent from EP Chair to Mr Funada, and a Joint Statement by them on 20 April. Chair Schaldemose reported on the EPs position and the resolution on the Russia's aggression against Ukraine and recognised the course of action that Japan had taken to condemn and sanction Russia. Mr Funada said dialogue and cooperation with the EP is essential. He stressed that it is important for more Asian countries to join the sanctions and said that Japan is working towards that. Vice President and MEP, Pedro Silva Pereira stressed that it is Russia to blame with no justification for the aggression. It is an international duty to cooperate. The right message of the right time is that we stay united.
Meeting of the delegation in Brussels on 14 March 2022
The Joint meeting was held with all three Delegation Chairs and with Members from the Japan and India delegations. H.E. Ambassador Caroline Millar, Mission of Australia to the EU, H.E. Ambassador Santosh Jha, Mission of India to the EU and H.E. Ambassador Yasushi Masaki, Mission of Japan to the EU addressed the delegations on "The EU Indo-Pacific Strategy and the security implications of QUAD" engaging equally in outlining their main security concerns, while David McAllister, AFET Chair and SEDE rapporteur presented the main features of the SEDE report and of the security implications of the Indo-Pacific Strategy. The Delegation Chairs and Ambassadors look forward to the adoption by SEDE and then by Plenary of the McAllister report.
A Joint meeting will take place Monday 14th March 18h45 This meeting is IN CAMERA
A Joint meeting with members from the Delegations for Relations with Australia and New Zealand (DANZ) & India (D-IN) on Monday 14 March, 2022 from 18h45-20.00hrs in room ASP 3G3. On the agenda, "The EU Indo-Pacific Strategy and the security implications of QUAD". The Chair is delighted to receive H.E. Ambassador Yasushi Masaki, Mission of Japan to the EU, H.E. Ambassador Caroline Millar, Mission of Australia to the EU, and H.E. Ambassador Santosh Jha, Mission of India to the EU, for an exchange of views. Mr David McAllister, Chair of the AFET committee and also SEDE rapporteur on "The EU and the security challenges in the Indo-Pacific" will brief the delegation on the latest developments. Interpretation in EN, FR DE IT and PL are available.
Meeting of 18 November 2021 in Brussels
The meeting of the delegation took place on Thursday 18 November. Minister Akihiro Ōkōchi from the Japanese Mission highlighted major achievements and benefits of the first years of the implementation of EU-Japan EPA. In the run up to the WTO Ministerial Conference MC12, Minister Ōkōchi and colleagues from DG TRADE all agreed this conference would formally launch the discussions on a WTO reform. Ms Elena Suárez, Advisor on WTO and Japan, BusinessEurope, expressed her support to many of the objectives mentioned and stressed that it is a strong supporter of WTO and cooperates with its counterpart in Japan.
Bureau members meet with Members of Japan's National Diet via internet
On Thursday 10 June, the Bureau led by Ms Christel Schaldemose, Chair of the Delegation, co-chaired an informal online meeting with Members of Japan's National Diet led by MP Mr Nobuteru Ishihara. Three main points were discussed; "Response to the Covid-19 crisis", "Actions on Climate Change " and "Topical Debates, Updates (ILO Convention, Tokyo Olympics, etc)".See the attached briefing below
Joint meeting in Brussels, Thursday 22 April 2021 with DANZ and DKOR members
The meeting entirely devoted to the EU Strategy on Indo-Pacific. Two speakers, Ambassador Jasper Wieck, Federal Foreign Office, Germany & Mr George Cunningham from EEAS, both crucial experts in shaping strategic options, represented the complimentary visions from M.S. & the EU. Ambassador Wieck presented the three German basic principles: Inclusiveness of the region; Diversification: Focusing on strengthening partnership with like-minded countries e.g.Australia, Japan, NZ; Rules-based Multilateralism; strategies to counteract any bi-polarity in the region. Mr Cunningham stressed main areas to work on: carbon emission, trade & economic relationships. He underlined the importance of human rights, security & military options for the EU in the region, notably ensuring maritime safety and free passage in order to safeguard the region's strategic autonomy. He recalled the next important steps and opportunities, especially the EU-India summit on the 8 May.