The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union/Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Takeshi Iwaya held the first EU-Japan Strategic Dialogue on 1 November in Tokyo.

During the Dialogue, High Representative Borrell and Foreign Minister Iwaya announced the EU-Japan Security and Defence Partnership. Japan is the first country in the Indo-Pacific to adopt such a political framework for enhanced cooperation on security and defence with the European Union. The new partnership will frame, streamline and enhance bilateral cooperation and dialogue on key areas such as maritime security, participation in EU missions and operations space security and defence, cyber issues, Foreign Information Manipulation & Interference (FIMI) and disinformation, counter-terrorism, non-proliferation and disarmament, and defence initiatives and industry, among other. The agreement underlines the strategic importance of deepening cooperation on security and defence in the face of growing and multifaceted security challenges.

During their discussions, High Representative Borrell and Foreign Minister Iwaya reaffirmed their staunch commitment to peace, stability and prosperity, grounded in shared values and common interests. They highlighted the importance of closer collaboration on regional and global security, with particular focus on the interconnected security environments of Europe and the Indo-Pacific. The EU was welcomed as a close partner in Asia. [...] 

They also announced the formal entry into force of the EU-Japan Strategic Partnership Agreement at the end of 2024, following ratification by all 27 EU Member States. The SPA has been applied on a provisional basis since February 2019, and has produced a deepening of bilateral ties across all policy dimensions and issues of global concern.

Source: Delegation of the European Union to Japan