Japan, Germany eye stronger ties in talks over Indo-Pacific, Ukraine
BANFF, Canada (Kyodo) -- The leaders of Japan and Germany agreed Monday to step up cooperation in the fields of defense and economic security as they discussed the situation in the Indo-Pacific, where China and North Korea are posing security challenges, as well as in Ukraine.
Meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Canada, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also exchanged views over U.S. tariff measures, a senior Japanese government official said, without giving further details.
The two agreed on the importance of alignment among G7 members in the face of the severity of the global environment at the outset of their meeting, according to the Japanese government.
North Korea's missile and nuclear development and Pyongyang's past abductions of Japanese nationals were among the issues the leaders took up, according to the official.
Japan and Germany see each other as important partners who share values and principles such as democracy and the rule of law and have been forging closer ties.
Ishiba and Merz met in person for the first time after the German leader assumed the post in May.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
2 hours ago
Survey Finds 'Wagyu' Tops Japan-Related Internet Searches Overseas
Japan Data Food and Drink Travel Jun 18, 2025 A survey by a Japanese company found that wagyū was the top product related to Japan that people were searching for overseas. The search engine optimization support company Aun Consulting compiled and analyzed data on searches during May 2025 in foreign countries, focusing on keywords related to Japan that are likely to attract overseas interest. In English-speaking countries there tended to be a high volume of searchers for wagyū and Japanese knives. Searches for keywords related to Japan were significantly higher in the United States than other countries, reflecting its large population and strong economic ties with Japan. Searches for wagyū in the United States stood out in particular, demonstrating the high level of interest there. Searches related to Japanese sake or fruits included a diverse variety of related keywords, such as the names of specific brands or fruits. In Taiwan and Hong Kong, searches for wagyū and Japanese sake were particularly high. The results show that the interest in Japan is stronger in Taiwan than in Hong Kong. Although 'wagyu' garners strong interest worldwide, the number of searches for this keyword in the United States far exceeds that of other countries and regions. Data Sources Internet search survey (Japanese) from Aun Consulting, 2025. (Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.) sake wagyū
Nikkei Asia
2 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
MUFG to help Indonesian trainees open bank accounts in Japan
TOKYO -- Leading Japanese lender MUFG Bank is partnering with Indonesian subsidiary Bank Danamon to assist technical intern trainees from Indonesia in opening bank accounts in Japan. The technical interns can apply at Bank Danamon to open MUFG Bank accounts. The process is done through the sending agencies prior to arriving in Japan.
NHK
2 hours ago
- NHK
What's at stake in the Japan-US tariff negotiations
As Prime Minister Ishiba's meeting with President Trump at the G7 summit fails to clinch a deal on tariffs, we look at some of the proposals Japan has put on the table.
