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Steinmeier congratulates new Japanese Foreign Minister

16.09.2009 - Press release

Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier today (16 September) sent the new Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada the following letter of congratulation on his assumption of office:

“Please accept my warmest congratulations on your appointment as Foreign Minister of Japan. I wish you all the best, plenty of stamina and every possible success in carrying out your new responsibilities. With the Japanese-German Forum in Tokyo in early November and the 150th anniversary of Japanese-German relations in 2011, we will give new momentum to our bilateral cooperation.

Germany and Japan have a shared responsibility to help address global and international issues. We stand side by side on reform of the Security Council. I also look forward to consolidating our good cooperation on disarmament and non-proliferation as well as civilian peacekeeping. The same holds true for the multifaceted and intensive dialogue within the G8.

It was with great interest that I noted the goals of Japan’s Democratic Party on climate policy. I am pleased we were able to discuss this key topic during your visit to Germany last year. More intensive cooperation on climate issues between our countries which lead the field on technology will considerably improve the chances for substantial progress particularly at the forthcoming conference in Copenhagen.

To give us the opportunity to discuss this and other issues, I extend a warm invitation to you to visit Germany soon.”

Read more on Germany's bilateral relations to Japan:

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