Japan and the European Union (EU) have agreed to launch a "Competitiveness Alliance" during their summit meeting.
According to Kyodo News on July 23, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held a summit in Tokyo with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Antonio Costa, President of the European Council. During the meeting, they reaffirmed the importance of the free trade system and multilateral cooperation.
The two sides agreed to comprehensively cooperate through the launch of a "Competitiveness Alliance" to strengthen economic security and industry. They also expressed their intention to begin negotiations on an information protection agreement that would enable the exchange of classified security information. In addition, they reportedly agreed to establish a dialogue framework to reinforce their defense industry bases.
In a joint statement, both sides declared, "Japan and the EU, which share common values, will deepen cooperation and strengthen solidarity in a wide range of areas, including trade and security." They also agreed to enhance supply chain cooperation for critical minerals such as rare earths and to expand ministerial-level consultations to discuss economic security as well as trade and industrial policies.
Furthermore, they strongly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and sharply criticized the expansion of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
Prime Minister Ishiba emphasized, "Strengthening relations with the EU will further enhance peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region."
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