Prime Ministers Jansa and Fukuda Discuss Ways to Bolster Ties
Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa met his Japanese counterpart Yasuo Fukuda in Tokyo early on Wednesday to discuss efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation, especially in the economy.
At their meeting, held prior to the EU-Japan summit, the prime ministers agreed that cooperation between the countries should reflect the needs of the 21st century. They welcomed the growing ties in science and technology.
Japan welcomed Slovenia's upcoming membership of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the prime ministers added that they had agreed for the two countries to hold annual political consultations at the level of the foreign ministries.
The pair also spoke about the reform of the United Nations, where Jansa reiterated Slovenia's endorsement of Japan's bid to win a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
Economic cooperation dominated the agenda of Jansa's three-day official visit, the first ever by a Slovenian head of government to Japan, on Tuesday. He met business officials and toured Sony headquarters. On the first day of his visit, Jansa met Emperor Akihito.
An accompanying business delegation also participated in a conference with their Japanese counterparts on Tuesday. The event was opened by Economy Minister Andrej Vizjak, who said the economies of the two countries complemented each other.
Vizjak added that extensive possibilities exist for more Japanese investment in Slovenia, especially in sectors with high value added.
Trade between the two states has been on the rise, reaching EUR 110m in 2007. Slovenia is registering a considerable deficit, but this is typical for trade between Japan and the EU as a whole.
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