EU-Japan Summit - Joint statement

President of the European Council Charles Michel, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio of Japan met in Brussels on 13 July 2023 for the 29th Summit between the European Union and Japan and issued the following statement:

1. We, the leaders of the European Union (EU) and Japan, acclaim our ever closer strategic partnership, built on our shared values and rooted in our commitment to multilateralism to meet global challenges and the needs of our citizens.

2. We reaffirm our commitment to sustain a free and open international order based on the rule of law, with the Charter of the United Nations (UN), respect for international law, universal human rights and an open, free and fair trading system at its core, in order to support peace, prosperity and dignity for all. In this context, the EU welcomes Japan's successful G7 Presidency and its results.

3. The security of Europe and that of the Indo-Pacific are closely interlinked. We remain resolute in our support to Ukraine and our opposition to Russia's brutal, unprovoked and illegal war of aggression. We condemn the continued defiance of the UN Security Council resolutions by North Korea. We seek peace and stability throughout the Indo-Pacific, in particular through compliance by all with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). We oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion anywhere in the world and reaffirm that the acquisition of territory by force is prohibited. Confrontation should be resolved peacefully through dialogue, and we support a just and durable peace that is based on respect for international law and the principles of the UN Charter.

4. In the face of unprecedented challenges, we are committed to working together – and with a wide range of partners - to promote peace, security, the rule of law and democratic values, ensure prosperity and economic security, address humanitarian needs, achieve sustainable development, foster human-centric digitalisation, tackle climate change and environmental degradation, enhance health security including through strengthening global health architecture, and achieve universal health coverage (UHC).

5. In response to these fundamental issues of cooperation, we are taking concrete steps to:

• Ensure the full and effective implementation of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in strengthening the resilience of our trade and investment relations for the benefit of our citizens and business community.
• Strengthen our cooperation on economic resilience and economic security and enhanced cooperation starting with critical raw material supply chains, welcoming the signing on the Administrative Arrangement between the Directorate General for Internal, Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMES (DG GROW) and Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) on 6 July 2023.
• Establish a Strategic Dialogue at foreign ministerial level and develop further our security partnership.
• Intensify cooperation on counter-piracy and welcome the signature of an Administrative Arrangement on 15 March 2023.
• Step up joint work on the energy and green transitions under our Green Alliance, welcoming the Memorandum of Cooperation on Hydrogen signed on 2 December 2022.
• Accelerate our cooperation on the digital transformation, following the first meeting of the Digital Partnership Council in Tokyo on 3 July 2023, and the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation on semiconductors and a Memorandum of Cooperation to support secure and resilient submarine cable connectivity between the EU and Japan.
• Operationalise our Partnership on Sustainable Connectivity and Quality Infrastructure by jointly identifying a first list of substantial connectivity projects.
• Further enhance air connectivity between the EU and Japan, building on the “EU-Japan Horizontal Agreement for Air Services“ signed in February 2023.
• Continue to exchange views for Japan's possible association to Horizon Europe and welcome the signature of the Research Framework Arrangement for cooperation on foresight.
• Further cooperate in the field of space and welcome the Administrative Arrangement on Cooperation of Copernicus, signed on 17 January 2023.

Working for peace, security and the rule of law

6. The EU and Japan condemn once more in the strongest terms the war of aggression by Russia against Ukraine, and the violation of the UN Charter and international law that it represents. Russia must end its aggression and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its military forces and equipment from the entire internationally-recognised territory of Ukraine. We stress that the destruction of the dam at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant on 6 June 2023 with catastrophic consequences would not have happened if Russia had not started its unjustifiable, unprovoked, and illegal war of aggression. We reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine for as long as it takes and are committed to supporting its recovery and reconstruction. We commit to intensifying our diplomatic, financial, humanitarian and other support for Ukraine. We remain committed to maintaining and increasing collective pressure on Russia, including through possible further restrictive measures. We will further prevent the circumvention of the respective measures against Russia. We reiterate our support for the efforts by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in setting out basic principles in his Peace Formula in line with the UN Charter and we will continue our efforts for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, in full respect of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. There must be no impunity for war crimes and other serious crimes committed in Russia's war against Ukraine. We will continue also to counter the negative impacts of the war on the rest of the world, particularly on the most vulnerable people and those most affected, including countries from the immediate neighbourhood such as the Republic of Moldova.

In this context, we reiterate our position that threats by Russia of nuclear weapon use, let alone any use of nuclear weapons by Russia, in the context of its aggression against Ukraine are inadmissible. Any use of chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons by Russia would be met with severe consequences. Russia's irresponsible actions around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, undermining of arms control regimes and deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus are dangerous and unacceptable. We urge Belarus to stop its support for the Russian aggression.

We also reaffirm the importance of the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes which allow Ukraine to import and export vital goods and reiterate the critical importance of continued and scaled-up implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI) in order to further facilitate grain exports from Ukraine and enable stable supply to those in need. We call on Russia to stop threatening global food supplies and to allow the BSGI to operate at its maximum potential and for as long as necessary.

7. We strongly condemn North Korea's ongoing development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), including the repeated, unlawful launches of ballistic missiles such as the ICBM-class ballistic missile launch on 12 July. These actions threaten the peace and security of the region and beyond. North Korea must refrain from further reckless, destabilising or escalatory actions. We reiterate that North Korea must comply immediately with its obligations under the UNSCRs by abandoning all its nuclear weapons, existing nuclear programs, as well as any other existing weapons of mass destruction, and ballistic missile programmes, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner. We also call on all states to abide by their obligations under relevant UNSCRs including the full and effective implementation of all sanctions. We are concerned about North Korea's choice to prioritize its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs over the welfare of people in North Korea. We urge North Korea to facilitate access for international humanitarian aid organizations that operate in full respect of the humanitarian principles. We insist that North Korea respect and fulfil human rights, by resolving the abductions issue immediately. We are committed to promoting a meaningful diplomatic process toward the complete verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula in accordance with UNSCRs. We call on North Korea to respond constructively to the readiness for dialogue expressed by the other main parties including Japan.

8. We reaffirm the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is inclusive, prosperous and secure, and that protects shared principles including sovereignty, territorial integrity, peaceful resolution of disputes, rule of law, human rights, and fundamental freedoms. Recognising the commonalities of our respective Indo-Pacific strategies, we will cooperate on mutual objectives in the region, including addressing health, climate, environmental and sustainable finance-related issues, as well as matters related to security and defence. In this context, we welcome the second EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum, held in Stockholm on 13 May 2023.

We recognise our shared objective to enhance cooperation with ASEAN as an important stakeholder in the Indo-Pacific. We reiterate our full support for ASEAN's unity and centrality, and our commitment to supporting the mainstreaming of ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) through projects and activities in line with four priority areas of AOIP. We also reaffirm our partnership with Pacific Island countries, and we are committed to contributing to the region's stability, prosperity and sustainable development. We reiterate our commitment to supporting the region's own priorities and needs in accordance with the Pacific Islands Forum's 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

9. We stand prepared to build constructive and stable relations with China, recognising the importance of engaging candidly and expressing our concerns directly. It is important to cooperate with China, given its role in the international community and the size of its economy, on global challenges as well as areas of common interest. With a view to enabling balanced, reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade and economic relationship with China, we will engage to ensure a transparent, predictable, safe and fair business environment and the avoidance of non-market policies and practices.

We will deepen our exchanges on China, notably regarding political, economic and security dynamics, including on the situation in Hong Kong as well as on human rights, including in Xinjiang and Tibet.

10. We remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East China Sea, including in the waters surrounding the Senkaku islands, and the South China Sea and strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion and increase tensions that could undermine regional stability and the international rules-based order. We express serious concern about reports of militarisation, coercion and intimidation in the South China Sea. We reaffirm the critical importance of respecting international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in particular the obligation to settle disputes by peaceful means, and to maintain freedom of navigation and overflight and the obligation to comply with decisions rendered by a court or tribunal based on legitimate procedures under UNCLOS. We share the view that maritime claims must be based on the relevant provisions of UNCLOS. We underscore the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as indispensable to security and prosperity in the international community. There is no change in our basic positions on Taiwan including stated one China policies. We call for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.

11. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the grave human rights violations in Myanmar and the ongoing violence against civilians. We call on the Myanmar military to immediately cease violence, end politically-motivated trials, release all political prisoners and those arbitrarily detained, ensure rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all people in need and create the environment for an inclusive political process that can return the country to a genuinely democratic path. We reiterate our call on all states to prevent the flow of arms into Myanmar. We support ASEAN's efforts to help Myanmar to find a peaceful solution to the crisis and call on the regime to swiftly and faithfully implement ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus.

12. We note with grave concern the increased risks to stability in Afghanistan and the deteriorating humanitarian and economic situation. We express our strongest opposition to the Taliban's systematic violations on human rights and fundamental freedoms, especially its decisions against the rights of women and girls, and call for the immediate reversal of decisions violating international law and conventions to which Afghanistan is a state party. We call upon the Taliban to respect UNSCR 2671/2023, and to ensure unrestricted operations of the UN in Afghanistan. We urge all States and organizations to use their influence, in conformity with the UN Charter, to promote an urgent reversal of Taliban's restrictive policies and practices especially those against women and girls. We condemn the recurring terrorist attacks and underscore the Taliban's responsibility to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorism. We urge the Taliban to take significant steps to engage in a credible and inclusive national dialogue towards inclusive governance. We note the importance of continuing operational engagement with the de facto authorities.

13. We reiterate our clear determination that Iran must never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon. We reaffirm our commitment to, and continued support for, the full and effective implementation of a restored JCPoA. However, we are deeply concerned by the successive IAEA reports documenting the alarming acceleration of Iran's nuclear programme. We strongly urge Iran to reverse its nuclear trajectory and to return to its political commitments. We will continue to invest diplomatically and politically to ensure that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon. We call on all countries to support the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015). Promoting peace and stability and achieving de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East are key priorities for the EU and Japan. We welcome recent initiatives in the region to resume or develop diplomatic ties and dialogue between GCC countries and Iran. We call on Iran to refrain from destabilising activities in the region including those involving ballistic and cruise missiles, UAVs, and transfers of such advanced weaponry to state and non-state actors.

14. We reiterate our support for the global multilateral non-proliferation and disarmament architecture. The NPT is the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime, and the essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. We underscore the importance of the 77-year record of non-use of nuclear weapons and of disarmament and non-proliferation education while encouraging other leaders, youth and others to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan's “Hiroshima Action Plan” is a welcome contribution to achieving a world without nuclear weapons. We are deeply concerned about Russia's suspension of the New START Treaty and call on Russia to enable a return to full implementation. China's opaque nuclear build-up poses a concern to global stability. We call on China and Russia to engage substantively in all relevant forums on disarmament and risk reduction in line with their obligations under the NPT and commitments including the P5 Leaders' statement of January 2022 on Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding Arms Races. We fully support multilateral export control regimes and their contribution to non-proliferation efforts.

15. Recognising the importance of further development of our strategic cooperation in view of unprecedented challenges to peace and security, we will establish a Strategic Dialogue at foreign ministerial level. We will also develop further our security partnership which will promote increased cooperation on inter alia maritime security, cybersecurity, hybrid threats, including foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), counter-terrorism, disarmament, non-proliferation, and international peace cooperation.

16. We value our close cooperation in the field of maritime security and welcome the signature of an Administrative Arrangement between EUNAVFOR ATALANTA and Japan's Deployment Surface Force for Counter-Piracy Enforcement on 15 March 2023. Sharing the views that Japan's interaction with the EU's Coordinated Maritime Presences (CMP) in the Gulf of Guinea and the North-Western Indian Ocean could contribute to the peace and stability of the maritime environment in the region, we will explore and pursue diverse opportunities for cooperation, including on joint exercises in the Indo-Pacific.

17. We welcome our cooperation through the EU-funded Enhancing Security Cooperation In and With Asia (ESIWA) project, and its positive outcomes such as the establishment of the Strategic Communication Education and Research Unit (SCERU) at the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) at the University of Tokyo. We will continue to consider cooperation in supporting capacity building in Southeast Asia and Pacific countries and will explore possible synergies in the framework of the EU- funded Critical Maritime Routes in the Indo\u0002Pacific (CRIMARIO).

18. We will enhance cooperation on disaster risk reduction, response and recovery. We will continue to strengthen EU-Japan cooperation on response to humanitarian crises and on promoting respect for international humanitarian law. In view of the exponentially increasing global humanitarian needs, we call for broadening the resource base for humanitarian action beyond traditional donors.

Working for prosperity and economic resilience and economic security

19. We recognise the importance of the full and effective implementation of the EU-Japan EPA in strengthening the resilience of our trade and investment relations and ensuring that our citizens and business community fully benefit from the opportunities the EPA creates. We welcome the on-going work towards extension of the list of geographical indications (GIs) provided for in the EPA and look forward to completing the current extension by the end of the year. We will ensure the effective implementation of the government procurement provisions in the EPA.

20. With the support of the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation, we will promote cooperation between business communities. The EU-Japan Business Round Table (BRT), the Japan Business Council in Europe (JBCE), and the European Business Council in Japan (EBC) have an important role to play to promote EU-Japan business cooperation in third countries' markets.

21. We welcome the discussion on the third High-Level Economic Dialogue, held on 27 June 2023, and also stress the need to enhance our dialogue and cooperation on economic resilience and economic security in order to defend our interests globally while preserving an open economy. Our actions will be anchored in the international rules-based system, in particular the WTO. They will aim at providing proportionate, precise and targeted answers to economic security challenges on the basis of a risk assessment. We will continue to reduce critical dependencies and vulnerabilities, including in our respective supply chains, and will de-risk and diversify where necessary and appropriate. We will coordinate to build resilient supply chains and reduce strategic dependencies, and remain vigilant about developments that may impact stable supply of critical minerals. We will also address non-market policies and practices (such as forced transfer of technologies), economic coercion and other harmful practices, through our existing tools and stronger international rules and norms.

22. On semiconductors, we welcome the signature of a Memorandum of Cooperation on semiconductors establishing an in-depth cooperation on an early warning mechanism for the semiconductor supply chain, research and development, advanced skills for the semiconductor industry, use case of semiconductor application and subsidy transparency.

23. We commit to fully respect and implement the SPS commitments of the EPA without undue delay. In this regard, we will ensure speedy and simplified import procedures for both sides avoiding duplicative assessments of elements harmonised at EU level. Regarding mutual recognition of zoning decisions in the area of animal health, we welcome the panel for risk assessment to be held at the end of July 2023 for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and the project to be finalised at the earliest possible opportunity and no later than September 2023. We continue discussions on African Swine Fever with a view to its conclusion without undue delay. We will finalise, in cooperation with relevant applicants, the approval procedures of the most advanced pending export applications for beef by the end of July 2023 and the following ones which are in the process of risk assessment by the end of December 2023. We will finalise, in cooperation with relevant applicants, the pending export applications for fruits without undue delays.

24. We will continue our cooperation on offshore wind energy and other offshore renewable energy with the view to facilitate the roll-out of projects supporting the climate and development goals while recognizing the importance of level playing field.

25. We aim to shape the digital trade global rulebook to the benefit of businesses and consumers on both sides. We thus welcome the progress made in the negotiations on data flows according to the article 8.81 of EPA, which will complement the digital trade rules in the EPA. Both sides commit to accelerate the negotiations on data flows towards their conclusion later this year provided that the conditions are met. In addition, we have adopted Digital Trade Principles, which represent our joint commitment to an open digital market.

26. We aim to ensure Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT) in compliance with relevant rules in the respective jurisdictions, including data protection rules. The successful first review of the Japan-EU mutual adequacy arrangement earlier this year demonstrated that the convergence between the EU and Japan's data protection frameworks has further increased. We share the view of exploring the possibility of expanding the scope of the EU adequacy decision for Japan. We also welcome the setting up of an Institutional Arrangement for Partnership to operationalise the DFFT.

27. Building on the positive outcomes of the Twelfth World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial conference (MC12), we support strengthening and reforming the WTO, as a central pillar of the global economic system. We will work together with all WTO Members to ensure concrete results at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi. This includes working towards necessary reform of all three functions of the WTO, including having a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system accessible to all Members by 2024 and reinforcing deliberations to respond to global trade policy challenges, including on key level-playing field issues affecting global trade, building on the joint work of Japan, the EU and the US. We will also work together to ensure the prompt entry into force of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and the conclusion of negotiation on comprehensive disciplines on fisheries subsidies, advancement of plurilateral initiatives including the Joint Statement Initiatives, especially on Investment Facilitation for Development and E-commerce, progress on agricultural reform, and making permanent the Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmission. In particular, we are committed to accelerating the WTO JSI E-Commerce negotiations and working to conclude an ambitious outcome, by the end of 2023. The outcome should be high standard and commercially meaningful. The EU welcomes Japan's joining the Multi-party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA), which is a strong sign of commitment to the dispute settlement system.

28. Japan welcomes the EU's decision on lifting of the import restriction measures on Japanese food products taken in the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. This decision, based on scientific evidence, will encourage the people in the affected region.

Accelerating the digital, the energy and green transitions

29. Since the launch of our Digital Partnership in May 2022, both sides have worked to deliver results in the strategic areas of semiconductors, High Performance Computing (HPC) and Quantum technology, 5G/Beyond 5G, Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT) and resilient digital connectivity, while also pursuing a constructive dialogue in the areas of platform regulation, data governance and cybersecurity.

30. Both sides continue their cooperative actions on 5G mobile technologies and beyond, and explore areas of R&D cooperation. Since 5G networks are being expanded and the development of 6G technology has started, both sides continue to discuss the importance of open, secure, innovative and resilient communication infrastructures.

31. In the context of the respective efforts to maximise the benefits of artificial intelligence, while mitigating its risks, we promote international discussions on AI governance with a view to achieve trustworthy AI. We support the G7 Hiroshima AI Process in an inclusive manner and in cooperation with the OECD and GPAI.

32. While acknowledging various pathways according to each country's energy situation, industrial and social structures and geographical conditions, we highlight that these should lead to our common goal of net zero by 2050 at the latest in order to keep a limit of 1.5 °C within reach.

33. We will work toward successful UNFCCC-COP28 outcomes including on the global stocktake, mitigation, adaptation and other important agendas to resulting in global climate action that is aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement and with keeping a limit of 1.5 °C global temperature rise within reach, including through accelerating the deployment of safe and sustainable low-carbon technologies such as renewable energy and the improvement of energy efficiency.

34. We share the view on the importance of our regular high-level dialogue on climate change and look forward to the next meeting during the first half of 2024.

35. Under our Green Alliance, we will intensify cooperation in areas such as grids technologies, energy efficiency, low-carbon and renewable hydrogen and its derivatives such as ammonia, offshore wind, other offshore renewable energy and carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS)/carbon recycling technologies and subnational climate action.

Under our Green Alliance, we concur to strengthen our cooperation including through an ad-hoc inter-departmental meeting to be held during the second half of 2023. We welcome the recent progress in both the EU and Japan on carbon pricing and look forward to discussing carbon pricing and carbon border measures. We also welcome the establishment of the Principles of High Integrity Carbon Markets. In addition, we will work together on battery supply chains and sustainable production, use and recycling of batteries. We commit to explore avenues for working within our respective legislative frameworks towards a possible harmonized framework of lifecycle GHG emissions.

36. Recalling the Memorandum of Cooperation on Hydrogen signed in December 2022, we also reiterate our strong and shared interest to support investment in and deployment of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen. We will strengthen our engagement with the implementation of the Memorandum of Cooperation on Hydrogen. As a next step, we will develop an implementation plan by defining a calendar of meetings and joint activities in a dedicated workshop. In that context we intend to (1) promote an appropriate hydrogen market, (2) promote cooperation among various actors and (3) develop policy dialogue on renewable and low-carbon hydrogen across the economy. In implementing the Memorandum of Cooperation, we intend to organise a high-level business forum to discuss and promote actions for industry, financing and support measures, and research and development. The results of the forum and from other implementing actions under the memorandum of Cooperation on Hydrogen will be reported to the Leaders.

37. We will work together to empower developing countries to play a bigger role in supply chains contributing to energy security by combining finance, knowledge and partnership including through the “Partnership for RISE (Resilient and Inclusive Supply-chain Enhancement)”.

38. The EU welcomes Japan's transparent efforts with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) based on scientific evidence, building on the steady progress of decommissioning work at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO)'s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, and we also welcome that the IAEA published the Comprehensive Report on 4 July 2023.

39. We will work together to implement the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework together with effective monitoring, planning, and reporting mechanisms toward nature positive economies. To implement the GBF, we commit to substantially and progressively increasing the level of financial resources from all sources, and to align all relevant fiscal and financial flows with the GBF and call on others to do the same.

We will also step up cooperation to promote resource efficiency and circular economy for meeting our climate and environment goals at the multilateral level such as the G7 and the G20 and at the bilateral level including by facilitating smooth and environmentally-sound recycling of critical minerals and materials.

We renew our commitment to the delivery of an ambitious international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution by the end of 2024, along with the commitment to end plastic pollution, with the ambition of reducing additional plastic pollution to zero by 2040.

40. As two largest importers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), we will step up our cooperation to develop secure and transparent global LNG markets while reducing methane emissions in line with the Global Methane Pledge. We look forward to the success of the LNG Producer Consumer Conference 2023 and enhance our cooperation with the International Energy Agency.

41. In the area of maritime affairs and fisheries, we will continue our cooperation including in Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, and in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. We reconfirm our commitment under the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources to urgently adopt proposals to designate Marine Protected Areas in Eastern Antarctica, the Weddell Sea and the Western Antarctic Peninsula, based on the best available scientific evidence.

We welcome the adoption of the Agreement under UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction and commit to working towards its swift entry into force and implementation. We also reaffirm our commitment to the vision of the UN Decade of Ocean Science (2021-2030).

Promoting sustainable connectivity

42. We reaffirm our joint commitment to promoting trusted, sustainable and rules-based connectivity that bring lasting benefits and create sustainable and inclusive growth in partner countries. To this end, we will continue to make tangible cooperation offers under the EU Global Gateway, the respective strategies for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and the Japan Development Cooperation Charter, and contribute to the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. We will also continue to catalyse our respective private sector expertise and investment capacity and further enhance collaboration between our financing institutions.

43. We welcome the results achieved over the past year to operationalise our Partnership on Sustainable Connectivity and Quality Infrastructure and look forward to further cooperation on concrete projects.

Through joint projects the EU and Japan are together mobilising strategic investments towards quality infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific and Africa. We recognize the importance of the G20 Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment, including openness, transparency, economic efficiency in view of life cycle cost, and debt sustainability, and look forward to the findings from the potential application of the QII indicators through voluntarily nominated pilot studies, which Japan and European countries actively participate in.

44. We will discuss best ways of cooperating on connectivity with partner third countries in Western Balkans, Eastern Europe and Central Asian countries, including the trans-Caspian transport corridor and the Black Sea Connectivity Route.

45. We aim to support secure and sustainable connectivity links including diversification of routes of critical digital connectivity infrastructure between Europe and Japan and with like-minded partners which are essential to enable Data Free Flow with Trust.

We welcome the signature of the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on sub-marine cables for secure, resilient and sustainable global connectivity. This MoC includes shared recognition of mutual advantages by reducing the latency of communication, increasing redundancies of routes and secure connectivity through cooperation in international submarine cables, as well as the relevance of the routes connecting Japan and the EU via the Arctic. The MoC states that the Arctic route presents the potential to be expanded to wider European and Asian regions, and to the Atlantic and the Pacific areas. To realise this advantage, this MoC expresses a shared intention to explore and facilitate joint and respective support actions, as appropriate, on trans-oceanic submarine cables, such as awareness raising, financial supports, demand aggregations, and as appropriate facilitating relevant administrative processes.

We reaffirm our commitment to narrowing the infrastructure investment gap by delivering financing and other support for sustainable, resilient, and quality infrastructure.

We shared our determination to promote transparent and fair development finance practices and call on all actors to adhere to international rules and standards, including the G20 Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment, the G20 Operational Guidelines for Sustainable Financing, the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprise on Responsible Business Conduct.

46. We welcome the signature in February 2023 of the “EU-Japan Horizontal Agreement for Air Services” and will continue discussions on how air connectivity between the EU and Japan can be further enhanced.

We encourage the finalisation of the work on the one-stop aviation security arrangements with a view to conclusion, initially for EU connections from Japan, in the first quarter of next year.

Working for scientific excellence, technological development and foresight

47. We continue to exchange views on Japan's possible association to Horizon Europe. This may lead to effective cooperation in all areas of mutual interest. We are also committed to continue research cooperation in the areas of renewable energy, soil research, connected automated mobility, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, high performance computing, and other digital technologies etc. We reiterate our commitment to reach a common understanding on key values and principles on research and innovation, notably through the Multilateral Dialogue on Values and Principles in Research and Innovation, launched under the EU Global Approach on Research and Innovation.

48. Noting the significant increase in exchanges in research activities for policies, we welcome the signature of the Research Framework Arrangement for cooperation on foresight between the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP).

49. We welcome the positive developments in space cooperation, particularly the Administrative Arrangement on Copernicus, signed on 17 January 2023 to boost exchange of Earth Observation data. We welcome further discussion on Galileo services, the IRIS2 programme (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) and on orbital debris mitigation and remediation as well as in the multilateral context on space traffic management including through the EU-Japan Space Dialogue.

Working for global health security and health emergency preparedness

50. After several years of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will renew our efforts to achieve health\u0002related Sustainable Development Goals and universal health coverage (UHC), seeking mutual reinforcement in our respective global health strategies.

51. Combatting health threats calls for the strengthening of Global Health Architecture with the World Health Organisation (WHO) at its core and we commit to continuing to work together to ensure the conclusion of the negotiation on an effective, ambitious and legally binding WHO CA+ (WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response) with a view to adopting it by May 2024, as well as the finalisation of the work on the targeted amendments to the International Health Regulations, by May 2024. Aligned with the on-going discussions on WHO CA+, including on a coordination mechanism for medical countermeasures (MCMs), we will continue to work together towards the swift establishment and facilitation of an interim coordination mechanism for medical countermeasures (MCMs) which aims at ensuring equitable access to MCMs through flexible and agile actions in delivering the core relevant functions, the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic including the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A), aligns with the WHO CA+ negotiations and builds on the MCM Delivery Partnership for Equitable Access (MCDP) announced at the G7 Hiroshima Summit.

52. We applaud the success of the Pandemic Fund's first call for proposals, which underlines its potential to address prevention and preparedness gaps in low- and lower-middle-income partners. We welcome current pledges of USD 2 billion and call on more donors to contribute.

53. We will work together on antimicrobial resistance to ensure it is tackled in a comprehensive manner, and to streamline the One Health Approach covering integrated surveillance and addressing drivers of the spread of zoonotic disease particularly the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

We reaffirm our commitment to strengthening collaboration between Finance and Health Authorities for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) including through the ongoing and essential work of the G20 Joint Finance and Health Task Force (JFHTF). We also highlight the need for strengthening financing for pandemic response and continue efforts to thoroughly assess how the existing financing sources, particularly untapped funding streams can be used in pandemic response and to explore a surge financing framework, which allows us to complement existing mechanisms through better coordination and deploy necessary funds quickly and efficiently in response to outbreaks without accumulating idle cash, the G7 Shared Understanding on Finance-Health Coordination and PPR Financing endorsed by the G7 Finance and Health Ministers in May 2023.

Conclusion

54. We look forward to the successful organisation of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan and encourage further preparations of the EU pavilion.

55. We express satisfaction with the progress made in our bilateral relations and look forward to celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations between the EU and Japan in 2024