german chancellor visits japan

• Data privacy information

We use cookies to enable you to make the best possible use of our website. Cookies necessary for operating the website are set. You can also allow cookies for statistics purposes. You can change privacy settings or directly allow all cookies.  Click here for the privacy policy

Some cookies are necessary to make the basic functions of the website available to you and, therefore, cannot be deactivated.

Information on necessary cookies

We use the open source software tool Matomo on our website. Matomo does not transfer any data to servers outside the control of the Federal Press Office.

The tool uses cookies that allow us to count the number of visits. These text files are saved on your computer and enable the Federal Press Office to analyse how its website is used. For us, your IP address is an anonymous code. This means we have no technical means of identifying you as a registered user. You will remain anonymous as a user. If you agree to the analysis of your data, please activate this cookie. 

• Service-navigation
• Area-navigation

Main-navigation

“germany and japan are partners through shared values”, olaf scholz, chancellery.

• Tasks of the Chancellor
• The election of the Federal Chancellor
• Federal Cabinet
• Extension of the Federal Chancellery
• Federal Chancellors since 1949
• To the Federal Government's Facebook channel
• To the Federal Government's Instagram channel
• To the Federal Government's TikTok- channel
• To the Federal Government's WhatsApp channel
• To the Federal Government's X channel
• To the Federal Government's YouTube channel
• Legal notice
• Data privacy
• Privacy settings

Federal Chancellor Scholz in Japan “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”

On his visit to Tokyo, Federal Chancellor Scholz underlined the close partnership between Germany and Japan. Scholz stressed the importance of the partnership, not only with a view to supporting Ukraine but in its wider context of the Indo-Pacific region and challenges for the future of the whole world such as climate protection.

Friday, 29 April 2022

• E-mail, “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”
• Facebook, “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”

Share the article

• E-Mail E-mail, “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”
• Facebook Facebook, “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”
• X X, “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”
• Threema , “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”
• WhatsApp share via Whatsapp, “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”

Federal Chancellor Scholz travelled to Japan to harmonise policy objectives on current issues with Germany’s close G7 partner and strengthen the good relationship between the two countries.

Photo: Federal Government/Bergmann

Federal Chancellor Scholz travelled to Japan to harmonise policy objectives on current issues with Germany’s close G7 partner. In a joint press conference at the end of their first meeting on Thursday, Federal Chancellor reflected on the initial outcomes of his talks with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Both leaders were unanimous in their condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Germany and Japan are “shoulder to shoulder”

The Federal Chancellor expressed Germany’s gratitude to Japan for joining sanctions against Russia and for the support it is providing to Ukraine. Scholz said Germany and Japan were “shoulder to shoulder” in defending the United Nations Charter, the rules-based international order and human rights.

On the issue of Ukraine, Prime Minister Kishida said that the international status quo must not be changed through violence and unilateral action – something that also applied to the Indo-Pacific region. Kishida went on to say Japan was helping Ukraine in a range of ways. He expressed his gratitude for Germany’s offer to take Japanese aid supplies for Ukraine back on the Federal Chancellor’s official aircraft.

Agreement on regular government consultations

The two heads of government underlined the close cooperation between Germany and Japan, not only in supporting Ukraine but also on other political issues such as global challenges around climate protection, securing supply chains and preserving free trade routes. Bilateral relations would be intensified and improved through regular government consultations starting next year, the two leaders said.

Tokyo, 28 April 2022: Federal Chancellor Scholz travels to Japan. Arrival at Tokyo Haneda airport.

Japan is the third largest economy in the world after the US and China. Like Germany, it is an industrial nation.

The visit began with a visit to the German-Japanese Business Dialogue conference. Although the volume of trade between Germany and Japan recovered slightly in 2021 after the pandemic decreased, it has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels.

“These recent developments – debt crises, states isolating themselves, inflation, war – show us that free trade, fair competition and open markets cannot be taken for granted,” said Federal Chancellor Scholz in an appeal for globalisation to be smarter, more sustainable and more supportive.

The Federal Chancellor was received with military honours at the Kantei, the official residence of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Before meeting his counterpart, Federal Chancellor Scholz said he was delighted to receive Prime Minister Kishida's invitation and he was looking forward to their talks.

Scholz: At the present time our good relationship is shaped by our close collaboration within the G7 and our condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

At the subsequent press conference, the two leaders underlined their close cooperation, not only in supporting Ukraine but also on other political issues.

Scholz explained the two leaders had agreed to intensify and enhance their bilateral relationship by holding regular government consultations starting next year. 

Kawasaki, 29 April 2022: On the second day of his trip, Federal Chancellor Scholz still had time to visit the Toa Keihin refinery, a short distance outside Tokyo, before flying back to Germany. A hydrogen generation plant belonging to the Chiyoda Corporation is located at the facility.

The business uses a process that combines hydrogen with a solvent. This allows it to be transported in conventional containers and cargo ships. Later the hydrogen can be separated from the solvent and used by industry. 

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Japan

G7 : japan takes over presidency in 2023.

Scholz and Kishida also stressed the importance of close coordination between the two countries within the framework of the G7, which provides for cooperation between the world’s major industrial nations. Germany currently holds the G7 Presidency, which Japan will take over next year.

Federal Chancellor attends business conference

Federal Chancellor Scholz began his visit to Japan on Thursday by taking part in the German-Japanese Business Dialogue conference. Following their one-to-one meeting, the Federal Chancellor and Prime Minister Kishida met senior business representatives. That evening the Federal Chancellor attended a dinner hosted by the Japanese Prime Minister.

Before returning to Germany on Friday, Scholz also visited a hydrogen production facility in the city of Kawasaki. The Federal Chancellor stressed Germany and Japan’s ambitious goals for climate challenges, “so it will also be important for us to collaborate on technology, such as on issues of the hydrogen energy economy”. For Scholz it was a matter of “developing a new global trade that simultaneously helps our countries become climate neutral industrial nations”.

• X, “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”

Skip to content

Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information.

• National Report
• Korean Peninsula
• Around Asia
• Manga & Anime

The Asahi Shimbun

Scholtz visits Japan to firm up economic, defense ties

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

March 18, 2023 at 18:55 JST

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday held the first round of government consultations in Tokyo as they seek to strengthen economic and defense ties in a global landscape dominated by China's growing influence and the war in Ukraine.

Scholz brought six of his ministers for talks with Japanese counterparts to deepen cooperation in the economy and national security in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as other global issues including China’s assertiveness in pressing its maritime territorial claims and its closer ties with Russia.

“I believe the government consultation will be a springboard to bring cooperation between Japan and Germany even closer,” Kishida said in his opening remarks at the meeting. Kishida said the focus of the talks is on economic security, the Indo-Pacific region, Russia’s war on Ukraine and other mutual concerns.

Germany has similar “government consultations” framework with several countries. Of the 17 members of Scholtz’s Cabinet, six of them, including economy, finance, foreign, interior, transport and defense ministers, are traveling with him.

The two defense ministers met separately and confirmed the German armed forces' continued engagement in the Indo-Pacific region and stronger military cooperation between the two countries.

Japanese Defense Minster Yasukazu Hamada and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius agreed to coordinate closely in future regional deployments of the German military and step up joint exercises. They also agreed to seek a legal framework to facilitate increased joint defense activities, as well as cooperation in defense equipment and technology, the Japanese Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Japan, noting growing threats from China and North Korea, has been expanding military cooperation beyond its main ally, the United States, and has developed partnerships with Australia, Britain, European and Southeast Asian nations. Kishida's government last year adopted a new national security strategy under which Japan is deploying long-range cruise missiles to strengthen its strike-back capability, a major break from the country's postwar self-defense-only principle.

Scholtz visited Japan last year before going to China, making a point of prioritizing Germany’s economic ties with Tokyo over Beijing. Scholz is pushing to diversify Germany’s trade partners, while speaking out against a complete decoupling from China.

Japan, along with the United States, is seeking ways to stand up to increasing Chinese economic influence in the region. Tokyo also wants to reinforce economic security with other democracies in areas such as supply chains and the protection of sensitive technologies, apparently as a counter to China.

But Japan, which is a top U.S. ally and a major trade partner with China, is in a delicate situation and must balance its position between the two superpowers.

For Germany, China was its biggest trading partner in 2021 for the sixth consecutive year, as business ties have flourished even though political relations have turned tense.

Related News

Scholz says Germany seeks closer ties with Indo-Pacific

Japan, Germany hold 1st security talk to deter China

Japan, Germany expand military ties as German warship visits

Japan, Canada to formally begin intelligence sharing talks

NATO chief wants more ‘friends’ as Russia, China move closer

Security cooperation, China to dominate Biden’s talks with Japan’s Kishida

Trending Now

Prince Hisahito full of gratitude as he reaches adulthood at 18

September 6, 2024

Kansai Airport marks 30 years, bustling with budget carriers

September 5, 2024

Horror maestro Ito spills beans on how he comes up with ideas

August 31, 2024

Recommended

Stories about memories of cherry blossoms solicited from readers

Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.

A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry

A series on the death of a Japanese woman that sparked a debate about criminal justice policy in the United States

A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II

Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.

Learning English

• Asahi Weekly

In-house News and Messages

• The New York Times

BACK TO TOP

• Site Policy
• Transmission of user information to external service providers（利用者情報の外部送信）

Copyright © The Asahi Shimbun Company. All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs website uses JavaScript. Please turn on "JavaScript" and use it.

• Japan-Germany Relations

Chancellor of Germany to Visit Japan

H.E. Mr. Olaf SCHOLZ, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, will pay an official visit to Japan from 28 April to 29 April 2022.

• On this occasion, Mr. KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, will hold a meeting and a dinner with Chancellor Scholz.
• The Federal Republic of Germany, which holds the G7 Presidency this year, is an important partner that shares fundamental values with Japan. The Government of Japan sincerely welcomes the visit of the Chancellor and hopes the visit will contribute to further strengthen the relations between Japan and the Federal Republic of Germany.
• (1) This will be H.E. Mr. Olaf Scholz’s first visit to Japan as the Chancellor of Germany. (He visited Japan as First Mayor of Hamburg in 2011 and as Federal Minister of Finance in 2019.)
• (2) Japan-Germany summit telephone talks between Prime Minister Kishida and Chancellor Scholz took place on 14 December 2021 and 22 February 2022.

Related Links

Politics & Security

Economy & Tech Environment Politics & Security

Environment Politics & Security

Welcome to Tokyo, Herr Scholz: Germany’s Chancellor Picks Japan for his First Official Asia Visit

Whereas his predecessor visited China 12 times, Olaf Scholz says Germany and Japan share the same values and both abhor Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

As the global order changes, Germany faces serious questions about its role in the world. Russia and China are the cause of much pain. Yet to decouple from them suddenly could trigger an economic catastrophe in Europe. 

Russia is the most pressing problem. Germany is reliant upon Russian energy - especially gas - and therefore pays vast sums of money to the Kremin, even as Russian soldiers strike civilian targets in Ukraine, killing thousands of people.

Chancellor OIaf Scholz, who arrives in Tokyo the week of April 26 for a two day visit, has been forthright in his condemnation of the Russia invasion of Ukraine. Russian diplomats have been expelled from Berlin, and Germany has thrown its weight behind NATO’s efforts to supply the Ukrainian army with defensive weapons.

Green Goals

However, Chancellor Scholtz recognizes that forcing a complete and immediate halt to imports of Russian gas would trigger a sharp recession, not just in Germany but across the EU. He therefore supports a gradual transition towards other forms of energy. 

Japan has similar goals. Prime Minister Kishida is working on a clean energy strategy for the country , with the goal of creating a carbon-neutral society. 

This is an expensive and time-consuming process which takes place under the shadow of a threat from Moscow. As part of his conflict with the West, Vladimir Putin could choose to shut off supplies of hydrocarbons at any time. 

Japan imports only 4% of its oil and 9% of its natural gas from Russia. It is nowhere near as dependent on Moscow for energy as Germany, which, until the war, received 55% of its imported gas from Russia. 

A New Outlook  

Chancellor Scholz is the leader of the center-left Social Democratic Party, which governs in a coalition with the Greens and the Free Democrats.

His trip to Japan comes as the mighty German economy is looking increasingly vulnerable to external shocks. According to the Financial Times , Germany is “looking like the sick man of Europe''. Output shrank by 2.2% in the final quarter of last year, due to global supply-chain problems, rising commodity prices and weakness in its biggest trading partner, China.

The view on China among senior figures on Mr. Sholtz’s team is distinctly different to that of the previous Chancellor Angela Merkel, who shied away from outright confrontation with Beijing. 

This was partly due to business ties - one out of three German cars are sold in China. And in 2020, China was Germany’s most important trading partner for the fifth consecutive year, with traded goods worth €213.2 billion ($243 billion USD), according to data from the German Federal Statistical Office .

Flawed Approach

During the Merkel era, there was hope that Chinese communism could be softened through Wandel durch Handel (“ Change through Trade”). That was a flawed approach which overlooked the ideological gulf between China and the West, according to Bonnie S Glaser, Director of the Asia Program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. 

“There were growing worries about China’s policies during COVID-19, when it supplied substandard testing kits and medical masks to many European countries, including Germany. There's also been growing concern about China's human rights policies in Xinjiang and Hong Kong and there was anger when China imposed sanctions on German parliamentarians and NGOs,” says Ms. Glaser.

Moscow-Beijing Axis

Many Germans are also troubled by the so-called Moscow-Beijing axis - a prominent feature of international relations during the Ukraine war. Rather than condemning Russia for invading its neighbor and plunging Europe into crisis, China’s leaders have consistently called for Russia’s security concerns to be taken into account.

“It’s been a real wake up call for Germany and for other European countries that China has refused to even use the term invasion and is blaming NATO for the war. Chancellor Scholtz, along with other European leaders, has called on China to urge Russia to end the war but Beijing has not done so,” says Ms. Glaser.

In her view, the Chinese are hoping to drive a wedge between the United States and Europe and regard NATO as a cold war relic, along with other US alliances in Asia. She therefore believes that “intense competition will continue for many years to come.”

Dinner Party Charm

Japanese officials intend to lay on the charm during Mr. Sholtz’s official visit to Tokyo , which includes a grand banquet on Thursday evening. Germany now holds the rotating chair of the Group of Seven major developed countries, while Japan will take over the chairmanship in 2023.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock clearly recognizes Japan’s value during a time of crisis. She summoned Mr. Kishida to an emergency meeting in Brussels last month to discuss Ukraine. Ms Baerbock represents the Greens, a political party which is often openly critical of China, both on its environmental policy and on human rights.

Professor Hanns Maull from the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin says: “Germany has begun to recognize that in this new geopolitical environment, developments in European security and those in the Indo-Pacific are intrinsically linked.”

Gunboat Diplomacy

He notes that in 2021 Germany sent a navy destroyer called the Bayern to Asia . Japan welcomed the deployment, saying it helped to bolster support for its vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. 

RELATED: Germany and Japan are Rewriting History with Joint Naval Exercises in the Seas of Asia

“Germany will seek to deepen its relations with partners in the region and Japan is certainly one, if not the most important of these for Berlin,” says Professor Maull.

More trade with Germany would be welcomed by Japanese exporters, especially as the weak yen boosts their overseas profits when money is repatriated from Europe. However, with soaring crude oil and commodity prices, the Japanese economy remains in the doldrums in the wake of the pandemic and a fall in tourism.

Mr. Kishida and Mr. Scholz will be able to continue their dialogue when Germany hosts a G7 summit at Schloss Elmau, a castle resort in the Bavarian Alps, from June 26 to 28.

US President Joe Biden will also attend that meeting, following his planned trip to South Korea and Japan in May. 

China’s leader Xi Jinping will be absent from all the summits, however. He has not left China since the start of the pandemic. Mr. Sholtz has no plans to pay him a call. 

RELATED: EDITORIAL | Japan-Germany ‘2 Plus 2’ Seeks Rule of Law, Free and Open Indo-Pacific

Author: Duncan Bartlett

Duncan Bartlett is a regular contributor to JAPAN Forward . You can read his other articles and essays here . 

You may like

Deterring North Korea, Why It's Expensive but Essential

Year Three of the Invasion of Ukraine: What Lessons for China?

China Contradicts Its Own Fake News by Fishing Off Sanriku

PM Modi Visits Ukraine: New Delhi's Delicate Balancing Act

Chinese Military Violates Japanese Airspace: an Attempt to Counter NATO?

INTERVIEW: Bill Emmott on Japan's Role in Regional Security and Managing Global Risks

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

You must be logged in to post a comment.

International

Japan, germany pledge closer ties as scholz visits tokyo.

US military helicopter crashes in Japan

Minister of Commerce and Industry meets Japanese Minister of State for Economic, Fiscal Policy

Please disable the ad blocking feature.

To use this site, please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page.

This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content, and analyzing our website traffic. By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies.

Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

• Latest News
• Politics & Government
• Defense & Security
• Political Series
• General News
• Crime & Courts
• Imperial Family
• Social Series
• Coronavirus
• Noto Peninsula Earthquake
• Business Series
• Asia - Pacific
• US & Canada
• Wider World
• Washington Post
• Associated Press
• Yomiuri Editorial
• Political Pulse
• Insights into the World
• Cultural Viewpoints
• Outside Contributors
• Figure Skating
• Other Sports
• Soccer World Cup
• Olympics & Paralympics
• Environment
• Climate Change
• Manga & Anime
• Film & TV
• Kabuki / Noh / Rakugo
• Performing Arts
• Books & Literature
• Perspectives
• Donald Keene’s Legacy
• Ramen of Japan
• Delicious Beautiful Spectacular JAPAN
• Decommissioning Fukushima
• Weekly Edition
• Vantage Point
• Japan in Focus
• Travel Spots
• Troubleshooter
• Neko Pitcher
• Political Cartoons

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Visit Japan for Intergovernmental Talks on March 18

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:02 JST, March 10, 2023

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and a delegation of German ministers are planning to hold talks with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and members of his Cabinet in Japan on March 18, it has been learned.

The talks will be the first meeting between Japan and Germany under a so-called intergovernmental consultative framework.

Final arrangements are being made for a joint statement that will include measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation on economic security, among other areas, according to government sources.

Kishida and Scholz are also planning to hold summit talks to confirm their cooperation ahead of the Group of Seven summit meeting in Hiroshima in May, the sources said.

Germany has intergovernmental consultative frameworks with Spain, China and India, among other nations it sees as strategically important.

Economic security is expected to be the main topic in the Japan-Germany talks.

Politics & Government Latest Articles

Kono Pledges to Abolish Tax Adjustments, Require Returns from All...

Japan PM Kishida, S. Korea's Yoon Agree to Cooperate on Protectin...

CDPJ Head Izumi Announces Reelection Bid; Keen to Explore ‘United...

Komeito Leader Yamaguchi Likely to Be Replaced; Party Eyes Transi...

Latest articles.

Can Party Presidential Race Help LDP Survive General Election?

Japan to Give New Subsidies for Domestic EV Battery Output

Mpox: Support Is Essential for Countries Experiencing Outbreak

Expressway tolls: public understanding should be premise of varia..., popular articles.

Japanese Companies Increasing Efforts to Hire Foreign Students; F...

Hayao Miyazaki among Magsaysay Winners: 'He Tackles Complicated I...

ICC Prosecutor Expresses Concern Over U.S. Pressure; Khan Seeks J...

Myanmar Resistance Official Asks Japan to Put Pressure on Junta

Persecution and Apology in Brazil / Japanese Brazilians Win Trust...

Woman Falls to Death in Yokohama Station; Passerby Below Also Die...

Typhoon Shanshan Brings Devastating Rainfall, Halts Transportatio...

Japan's Kanto Region May See Linear Precipitation Zones by Sunday...

"politics" popular article.

Presidential Race for Japan’s LDP Hinges on ‘Change’; Younger Politicians Prepare to Jump In

Ishiba Favored by Older Voters, Koizumi by Young in LDP Presidential Race, Says Poll

Japan’s LDP Presidential Candidates Time Announcements of Runs; Better to Gain Attention Now or Quietly Build Support?

Japan’s Ishiba Announces Final Bid for LDP President; Ishiba Vows to Establish LDP that Will ‘Abide by the Rules’

Survey a strong indicator of ldp presidential winner; votes of rank-and-file, affiliated groups likely vital.

JN ACCESS RANKING

German leader Scholz plans to visit Japan in March

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is planning to visit Japan in March for talks with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, a Japanese government source said Monday, as the two countries seek closer ties amid global challenges, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

During the visit, Scholz and Kishida are expected to launch intergovernmental talks, which will also involve their ministers, to discuss issues ranging from an energy and food crisis exacerbated by the Russian war to strengthening supply chains to sustain economic growth, the source said.

Germany already has bilateral frameworks for discussions with China, India and other countries. In April last year, Kishida agreed with Scholz to hold a similar dialogue between Japan and Germany.

As Germany has stepped up its involvement in the Indo-Pacific region in recent years, Japan seeks to bolster ties with it to realize a "free and open Indo-Pacific" -- a vision viewed as a counter to China's increasing military and economic clout in the Asia-Pacific region.

Scholz will become the last of the Group of Seven leaders to meet with Kishida after Japan took this year's presidency of the group.

Kishida last week visited the other five members -- Britain, Canada, France, Italy and the United States -- and agreed with each of their leaders to work toward a successful G-7 summit to be held May 19 to 21 in Hiroshima.

At the summit, Kishida, a lawmaker representing a constituency in the western Japan city devastated by a U.S. atomic bombing in August 1945, aims to pitch his vision of a world without nuclear weapons amid fears that Russia might use an atomic device against Ukraine in the ongoing war.

Jan 16, 2023 | KYODO NEWS

China enters Japan waters days after air violation protested

Aug 31, 2024 | KYODO NEWS

China says ship passage through Japan territorial waters "legitimate"

Sep 2, 2024 | KYODO NEWS

Japan mulls preclearance for South Koreans for speedy immigration check

Sep 3, 2024 | KYODO NEWS

Tuition hike for foreigners at famed Tokyo art university draws backlash

Aug 30, 2024 | Spotlight Japan

TSMC's 3rd plant in Japan expected as early as 2030: Taiwan minister

More from World

Kyodo News Digest: Sept. 7, 2024

40 minutes ago | KYODO NEWS

U.S., Japan, S. Korea discuss ways to counter N. Korea cyber threats

44 minutes ago | KYODO NEWS

OPINION: How PM can help renew action for disarmament on 80th anniversary

1 hour ago | KYODO NEWS

Japan business lobby urges "fairness" in U.S. Steel buyout review

2 hours ago | KYODO NEWS

Kyodo News Digest: Sept. 6, 2024

Sep 6, 2024 | KYODO NEWS

Japan, South Korea agree on boosting ties as Kishida's term nears end

Japanese entrepreneur appointed adviser to Taiwan's Cabinet

Seven & i conveys opposition to Alimentation Couche-Tard buyout offer

Subscribe to get daily news.

To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox, subscribe here. Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription.

* Something went wrong

Please check your inbox for a confirmation email.

If you wish to change your message, press 'Cancel' to go back and edit.

Thank you for reaching out to us. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

• Data privacy information

We use cookies to enable you to make the best possible use of our website. Cookies necessary for operating the website are set. You can also allow cookies for statistics purposes. You can change privacy settings or directly allow all cookies.  Click here for the privacy policy

Some cookies are necessary to make the basic functions of the website available to you and, therefore, cannot be deactivated.

Information on necessary cookies

We use the open source software tool Matomo on our website. Matomo does not transfer any data to servers outside the control of the Federal Press Office.

The tool uses cookies that allow us to count the number of visits. These text files are saved on your computer and enable the Federal Press Office to analyse how its website is used. For us, your IP address is an anonymous code. This means we have no technical means of identifying you as a registered user. You will remain anonymous as a user. If you agree to the analysis of your data, please activate this cookie. 

• Service-navigation
• Area-navigation

Main-navigation

“germany and japan are partners through shared values”.

• Chancellor 

Federal Government

• Federal Press Office
• Information material issued by the Federal Government
• E-Mail Subscription

Media Center

• To the Federal Government's Facebook channel
• To the Federal Government's Instagram channel
• To the Federal Government's Mastodon channel
• To the Federal Government's TikTok- channel
• To the Federal Government's WhatsApp channel
• To the Federal Government's X channel
• To the Federal Government's YouTube channel
• Legal notice
• Privacy settings
• Germany4Ukraine 

Federal Chancellor Scholz in Japan “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”

On his visit to Tokyo, Federal Chancellor Scholz underlined the close partnership between Germany and Japan. Scholz stressed the importance of the partnership, not only with a view to supporting Ukraine but in its wider context of the Indo-Pacific region and challenges for the future of the whole world such as climate protection.

Friday, 29 April 2022

2 min reading time

• E-mail, “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”
• Facebook, “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”

Share the article

• E-Mail E-mail, “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”
• Facebook Facebook, “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”
• X X, “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”
• Threema , “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”
• WhatsApp share via Whatsapp, “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”

Federal Chancellor Scholz travelled to Japan to harmonise policy objectives on current issues with Germany’s close G7 partner and strengthen the good relationship between the two countries.

Photo: Federal Government/Bergmann

Federal Chancellor Scholz travelled to Japan to harmonise policy objectives on current issues with Germany’s close G7 partner. In a joint press conference at the end of their first meeting on Thursday, Federal Chancellor reflected on the initial outcomes of his talks with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Both leaders were unanimous in their condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Germany and Japan are “shoulder to shoulder”

The Federal Chancellor expressed Germany’s gratitude to Japan for joining sanctions against Russia and for the support it is providing to Ukraine. Scholz said Germany and Japan were “shoulder to shoulder” in defending the United Nations Charter, the rules-based international order and human rights.

On the issue of Ukraine, Prime Minister Kishida said that the international status quo must not be changed through violence and unilateral action – something that also applied to the Indo-Pacific region. Kishida went on to say Japan was helping Ukraine in a range of ways. He expressed his gratitude for Germany’s offer to take Japanese aid supplies for Ukraine back on the Federal Chancellor’s official aircraft.

Agreement on regular government consultations

The two heads of government underlined the close cooperation between Germany and Japan, not only in supporting Ukraine but also on other political issues such as global challenges around climate protection, securing supply chains and preserving free trade routes. Bilateral relations would be intensified and improved through regular government consultations starting next year, the two leaders said.

Tokyo, 28 April 2022: Federal Chancellor Scholz travels to Japan. Arrival at Tokyo Haneda airport.

Japan is the third largest economy in the world after the US and China. Like Germany, it is an industrial nation.

The visit began with a visit to the German-Japanese Business Dialogue conference. Although the volume of trade between Germany and Japan recovered slightly in 2021 after the pandemic decreased, it has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels.

“These recent developments – debt crises, states isolating themselves, inflation, war – show us that free trade, fair competition and open markets cannot be taken for granted,” said Federal Chancellor Scholz in an appeal for globalisation to be smarter, more sustainable and more supportive.

The Federal Chancellor was received with military honours at the Kantei, the official residence of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Before meeting his counterpart, Federal Chancellor Scholz said he was delighted to receive Prime Minister Kishida's invitation and he was looking forward to their talks.

Scholz: At the present time our good relationship is shaped by our close collaboration within the G7 and our condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

At the subsequent press conference, the two leaders underlined their close cooperation, not only in supporting Ukraine but also on other political issues.

Scholz explained the two leaders had agreed to intensify and enhance their bilateral relationship by holding regular government consultations starting next year. 

Kawasaki, 29 April 2022: On the second day of his trip, Federal Chancellor Scholz still had time to visit the Toa Keihin refinery, a short distance outside Tokyo, before flying back to Germany. A hydrogen generation plant belonging to the Chiyoda Corporation is located at the facility.

The business uses a process that combines hydrogen with a solvent. This allows it to be transported in conventional containers and cargo ships. Later the hydrogen can be separated from the solvent and used by industry. 

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Japan

G7 : japan takes over presidency in 2023.

Scholz and Kishida also stressed the importance of close coordination between the two countries within the framework of the G7, which provides for cooperation between the world’s major industrial nations. Germany currently holds the G7 Presidency, which Japan will take over next year.

Federal Chancellor attends business conference

Federal Chancellor Scholz began his visit to Japan on Thursday by taking part in the German-Japanese Business Dialogue conference. Following their one-to-one meeting, the Federal Chancellor and Prime Minister Kishida met senior business representatives. That evening the Federal Chancellor attended a dinner hosted by the Japanese Prime Minister.

Before returning to Germany on Friday, Scholz also visited a hydrogen production facility in the city of Kawasaki. The Federal Chancellor stressed Germany and Japan’s ambitious goals for climate challenges, “so it will also be important for us to collaborate on technology, such as on issues of the hydrogen energy economy”. For Scholz it was a matter of “developing a new global trade that simultaneously helps our countries become climate neutral industrial nations”.

• X, “Germany and Japan are partners through shared values”

• Account Details
• Newsletters
• Group Subscription

Raisina Dialogue, German chancellor visits Japan, New Zealand expands reopening

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

Welcome to Your Week in Asia.

Major companies across the globe are reporting earnings this week. Other than that, India will gather political and business leaders in New Delhi for its premier conference, the Raisina Dialogue. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit Japan to meet Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. New Zealand is set to open its doors to vaccinated visitors from over 50 countries, starting from the weekend.

Get the best of our coverage of Asia and much more by following us on Twitter @NikkeiAsia .

India hosts Raisina Dialogue

The three-day Raisina Dialogue -- India's flagship annual conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics -- kicks off. Jointly organized by the country's Ministry of External Affairs and New Delhi-based think tank the Observer Research Foundation, the conference will be inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be the chief guest at the opening session.

Speakers include U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Affairs Ely Ratner; former Canadian and Australian prime ministers Stephen Harper and Anthony Abbott; and Hiroyuki Akita, Nikkei commentator on foreign affairs and international security.

Company earnings : ZTE, Hyundai Motor, POSCO

Hong Kong Watch report on press freedom

British-based advocacy group Hong Kong Watch will publish a report on the state of Hong Kong's press freedom, amid a sweeping crackdown on civil liberties. The report draws on interviews with 10 journalists in exile and media reports on the events.

Hong Kong was once a bastion for press freedom in the region and an Asian base for many foreign news organizations. Now, more than a dozen journalists and editors have been arrested and at least three independent newsrooms shut down since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law. Authorities also hinted they would introduce a "fake news" law, purportedly to combat disinformation. Critics say such a move would further stifle media freedom.

South Korea announces Q1 GDP

Company earnings: AU Optronics, Nomura Holdings, Japan Exchange Group, Canon, Kweichow Moutai, New Oriental Education

51job's EGM to vote on amended buyout offer

51job, a Chinese employment search portal operator, is calling an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to vote on a buyout offer made by a consortium including its co-founder and chief executive Rick Yan. The consortium's latest proposal is to pay $61 per share in order to delist the company from the Nasdaq. The offer price was slashed from $79.05 in March, against a backdrop of deteriorating economic conditions and tightening regulatory policies in China. The company's move to seek a voluntary exit coincides with Washington listing more Chinese entities for a possible forced ejection from the U.S. stock market.

Company earnings: MediaTek, UMC, LG Display, CATL, BYD, GAC, Sinopec, HKEX, Shenhua, SK Hynix, Shin-Etsu Chemical, Renesas Electronics, Oriental Land, Kikkoman, Luxshare

German Chancellor Scholz in Tokyo

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits Japan until Friday to meet Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The two are expected to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine and other global matters. "Through Chancellor Scholz's visit to Japan, we hope to deepen our relations with Germany, a country with which we share fundamental values -- and an important partner of ours in responding to issues in the international community," Japan Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a news conference on April 22.

Japan updates monetary policy

The Bank of Japan concludes a two-day monetary policy meeting, where the central bank's stance toward inflation and the weakening yen will be closely monitored. Inflation in Japan hit a 26-month high in March as more businesses passed on rising raw material and energy costs to consumers.

Taiwan announces Q1 GDP

Company earnings : Samsung Electronics, Apple, Intel, Twitter, Amazon , Win Semiconductors, Murata Manufacturing, ANA Holdings, SMBC Nikko Securities, China Southern Air, SF, Air China, China Vanke, CNOOC

Stockholders get say on Crown Resorts sale

Shareholders of Australia's biggest casino operator will meet to vote on whether to accept an 8.9 billion Australian dollar ($6.6 billion) buyout offer from U.S. private equity group Blackstone. Holders of a majority of the scandal-plagued group's shares have already pledged their support, including James Packer, the former chairman. Packer's family founded the company and still controls the biggest stake.

Company earnings: Wipro, DBS, UOB, China Eastern Airlines, PetroChina, SAIC Motor

New Zealand expands reopening

New Zealand, which has long had tight COVID-19 entry controls, will allow in fully vaccinated travelers from more than 50 countries and other visa-holders. Visitors will not need to quarantine but must take two rapid antigen tests after their arrival. The country plans to fully reopen in October. 

China releases manufacturing PMI

Hong Kong fears run deep as John Lee aims to take charge

China's zte boosts chip capabilities amid huawei's crackdown woes, south korea's posco to build $800m plant for ev steel, catl's dominance in ev batteries challenged by emerging rivals, samsung sees q1 profit up 50% on memory chip prices, weak won, hong kong to reopen to visitors, thailand loosens entry rules, latest on your week in asia, pope in asia, china-africa forum, japan-australia 2+2, indonesia-u.s. maneuvers, bhp earnings, indian economy data, japan-india 2+2, thai gdp, vietnam leader in china, sponsored content, about sponsored content this content was commissioned by nikkei's global business bureau..

Nikkei Asian Review, now known as Nikkei Asia, will be the voice of the Asian Century.

Celebrate our next chapter Free access for everyone - Sep. 30