Foreign affairs minister visits Japan to strengthen economic cooperation
Minister of Foreign Affairs D.Tsogtbaatar concluded his official visit to Japan on February 25. During his visit, Minister D.Tsogtbaatar held a meeting with Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Kono to discuss relations and cooperation between the two countries and exchange views on regional and global issues.
The two ministers discussed strengthening collaboration between political, defense, trade, economic, cultural and education sectors of the two countries to ensure the implementation of the mid-term program for the JapanMongolia strategic partnership being carried out from 2017 to 2021.
Minister D.Tsogtbaatar thanked the government and people of Japan for their great assistance that helped strengthen Mongolia’s democracy and economy, and noted that the Japanese government is contributing to Mongolia by implementing a number of projects with the International Monetary Fund and Japan’s Official Development Assistance.
Minister Kono pointed out that the government of Japan decided to create a master plan towards value-added manufacturing in the Mongolian agricultural sector. He also asked for Mongolia’s support to resolve the issue with respect to the abductions of Japanese nationals by North Korea.
The Mongolian foreign affairs minister asked Minister Kono to implement the third phase of a small and medium-sized enterprise development and environmental protection project through a soft loan from the Japanese government in Mongolia.
During the meeting, the sides noted that the two countries will closely cooperate with each other to implement a memorandum signed by the two countries’ labor ministries on providing training to the labor force in order to increase the number of skilled workers in Mongolia’s labor force.
Minister D.Tsogtbaatar noted the importance of starting mutual collaboration to eventually create an opportunity that will facilitate a visa free travel for the citizens of the two countries for short-term trips.
During their meeting, the sides agreed that the Consular Department of the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will cooperate with the Japanese side by creating a consultative mechanism to facilitate travel visa requirements and protect the rights of the two nations’ citizens.
The sides noted that the two countries are developing collaboration on regional and global arenas, and underlined the importance of developing this collaboration in the future as the two nations are developing a strategic partnership.
As the main focus of his visit was to boost mutual economic cooperation and increase trade and investment collaboration, especially creating a collaboration opportunity to increase the exports of Mongolian small and medium-sized enterprise to Japan, Minister D.Tsogtbaatar met with Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshige Seko to talk about opportunities to increase trade and exports to Japan.
The Mongolian minister asked the Japanese trade minister to focus on increasing exports from Mongolia to Japan; promote Mongolian small and medium-sized enterprise; and implement the economic partnership, which seeks to promote joint committees and mutual cooperation. Japanese Minister Seko noted that he will focus on the Mongolian government’s request.
Executive Managing Director of Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) Tadashi Maeda told the Mongolian delegates that JBIC is ready to promote cooperation between the two countries’ small and mediumsized enterprises and invest in Mongolian megaprojects with strategic importance.
During the minister’s meeting with representatives from Japan International Cooperation Agency, the sides stated that the two countries are looking forward to opening a new international airport being built with Japanese financing in Mongolia as soon as possible, and noted the importance of hosting a policy consultative meeting regarding cooperation between Mongolia and Japanese Official Development Assistance in March in Ulaanbaatar.
Minister D.Tsogtbaatar attended a Mongolia-Japan business forum, where he met with Japan’s Minister in charge of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics Shunichi Suzuki to discuss mutual cooperation between the two countries for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. The ministers talked about opportunities to develop sports, cultural and humanitarian cooperation between the two nations and carrying out an exchange program for the two countries’ judo coaches.
Minister of Foreign Affairs D.Tsogtbaatar also held a meeting with Katsunobu Kato, the Japanese minister in charge of the abduction issue.
Japan’s Kyodo News reported that Minister D.Tsogtbaatar vowed to explore a way for moving forward with dialogue between Japan and North Korea to help resolve the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korean government agents many years ago.
Kato asked for Mongolia’s cooperation in resolving the abduction issue as Mongolia maintains friendly ties with North Korea.
The Mongolian foreign affairs minister said, “We’re going to explore a way to see if a dialogue (between Japan and North Korea) can be held effectively.”
Minister Kato noted, “We will do our utmost to have North Korea take specific action to realize the return of abduction victims.”
D.Tsogtbaatar replied, “We, like the Japanese, feel heartache over (the abduction victims). We intend to take a creative approach to turn (North Korea’s) nuclear and missile development and human rights issues for the better.”