President Iohannis, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe want Romania - Japan Strategic Partnership to be launched in 2021

President Klaus Iohannis met on Monday in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with the two top officials expressing on the occasion their wish for the Strategic Partnership between the two countries to be launched in 2021, the Presidential Administration informs. 

The completion of preparations for the launch of the Romania - Japan Strategic Partnership, following the decision taken by the two top officials on the occasion of the Japanese Prime Minister's visit to Bucharest last year to initiate steps for the relationship between the two countries to be raised to the level of Strategic Partnership received special attention during the meeting. 

"President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed their wish for the launch of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and Japan to take place in 2021, on the anniversary of 100 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two states, which will strengthen the bilateral relationship based on the strengthened Bilateral Partnership dating from 2013," the Presidential Administration states. 

The Japanese Prime Minister said that the future Strategic Partnership will result in a substantive, highly strategic and strong relationship between the two countries, and President Iohannis emphasized that the promotion of the relationship to Strategic Partnership occurs at the right time and will have beneficial, not only political, but also economic effects. 

During the meeting President Klaus Iohannis thanked for having been invited to the enthronement ceremonies of Japan's Emperor Naruhito and extended congratulations on Japan's entry into the new Reiwa Era ("of auspicious harmony"), expressing his confidence that this will bring more prosperity to the Japanese people. 

The Romanian head of state also expressed regret and offered condolences for the loss of human life and the destruction caused by the recent typhoon Hagibis. 

The Japanese Prime Minister thanked for the participation of the Romanian President in the ceremonies and for the condolences and "warmly" evoked his visit to Bucharest in January 2018. 

The two officials also discussed intensifying security and defense cooperation, including as regards the ballistic missile defense, starting from Romania's experience with hosting the missile facility in Deveselu. 

Klaus Iohannis and the Japanese Prime Minister expressed their hope that the Japanese investments in Romania will be stimulated. The desire of the two countries to tighten cultural cooperation was also expressed during the meeting, as the sides referenced the excellent cooperation occasioned by the International Theater Festival in Sibiu and other various collaboration projects. 

Other subjects mentioned during the meeting were the security situation at the Black Sea - with the Japanese Premier referring to Romania's expertise - as well as the situation in the Korean Peninsula. 

President Klaus Iohannis is in Japan on Monday and Tuesday. The meeting of the two top officials took place on the sidelines of the Romanian President's participation in the enthronement ceremonies of Japan's Emperor Naruhito.