Tokyo, Oct. 28 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz issued joint declarations on Wednesday on economic security and cooperation in cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence. The declarations were adopted when Takaichi and Merz met at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo, their first meeting since November last year. Merz was on his first visit to Japan since taking office in May last year. During the summit, the two leaders discussed China’s increasingly hegemonic actions and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and agreed to expand economic and defense cooperation between Japan and Germany. At a joint press conference, Takaichi said that security in the Euro-Atlantic region and the Indo-Pacific region is inseparable. Merz said that Japan and Germany share similar interests and values and that the two working together could prevent major powers from doing whatever they want, apparently referring to China, Russia and the United States. Takaichi said she would consider opportunities and frameworks that would help deepen cooperation between Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the German military and promote mutually complementary defense industry cooperation. The German leader expressed his country’s interest in collaborating on the production of fighter jets and in joining the Global Combat Air Program, a fighter development project involving Japan, Britain and Italy. With China’s export restrictions for critical materials and semiconductors in mind, Takaichi and Merz agreed to strengthen supply chains for strategic goods. The two leaders also agreed to launch high-level talks on artificial intelligence. Merz invited the Japanese prime minister to visit Berlin next year. Expressing concerns over tensions in the Taiwan Strait, Merz urged all parties concerned to exercise caution. He also said that the principle of the non-use of force under the U.N. Charter applies to the strait. Meanwhile, Takaichi said that she and Merz affirmed the importance of considering both countries’ interests in industrial support measures. This was likely in response to Japan being excluded from the European Union’s preferential treatment of European vehicles, a move initiated by Germany and France. Germany intends to bolster its ties with Japan as the European country aims to reduce its trade reliance on the United States and China. On his ongoing trip to Japan, Merz is accompanied by about 30 corporate executives. The Japanese and German sides are expected to sign a total of 33 memorandums of understanding on AI, nuclear fusion and other state of-the-art technologies. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
