Kanerva the first Minister from abroad to meet with Japan’s new Minister for Foreign Affairs

Japan´s Foreign Minister and minister Ilkka Kanerva met on Tuesday 28 August. Minister for Foreign Affairs Ilkka Kanerva met on Tuesday 28 August with his Japanese colleague, Minister for Foreign Affairs Nobutaka Machimura, who received his Finnish counterpart already the day after he had taken up his Cabinet post. This was the first ministerial meeting of Foreign Minister Machimura’s term of office, which began on 27 August.

The original plan had been that Foreign Minister Kanerva would meet with Taro Aso, Foreign Minister Machimura’s predecessor, but in yesterday’s reshuffle of the Japanese Cabinet, Aso was transferred to other duties. The meeting with Foreign Minister Machimura was organised despite the short notice, and gave Foreign Minister Kanerva the pole position for making contact with his new colleague.

The discussions held at the Japanese Ministry for Foreign Affairs found that relations between Finland and Japan are excellent. The two countries carry out cooperation on a very broad scale and they also share common social challenges, such as rapid ageing of the population. The foreign ministers exchanged views about current developments in Russia and other topical foreign policy issues, including climate change and reform of the UN.

Alongside his meeting with Foreign Minister Machimura, Foreign Minister Kanerva’s programme comprised talks with Shotaro Yachi, Japan’s Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Satsuki Eda, President of the House of Councillors of the Japanese Diet, and with other key members of the Japanese Diet. Foreign Minister Kanerva gave a talk on current challenges in the Finnish society at a luncheon organised by the Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan. The talk was attended by an exceptionally large audience representing Japanese business and administration as well as representatives of Finnish corporations operating in Japan.

During the visit Foreign Minister Kanerva also visited the new building project at the Finnish Embassy in Tokyo.

Foreign Minister Kanerva arrived in Japan last week, to attend meetings of the International Association of Athletics Federations held in connection with the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics being held in Osaka.