Japan’s Foreign Minister: “Georgia is an important regional player”

Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoji Muto says Georgia is a significant player in the region and his country is interested in boosting economic ties with the post-Soviet nation.

The comment came after the Japanese official met Georgia’s Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili in Tokyo in this afternoon within his official business trip.

Regional and global economics were high on the meeting agenda, but the two officials also discussed Georgia’s efforts to integrate into Euro-Atlantic structures, the country’s visa liberalisation prospects with the European Union (EU), and how Georgia was implementing its Association Agreement (AA) and subsequent Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) deal.

Georgia’s Parliament Speaker met Japan’s Foreign Minister and discussed domestic and foreign issues. Photo by Parliament of Georgia webpage.

 Usupashvili stressed Georgia, which had built up democracy and a free market economy, was a reliable partner for Japan and other countries. He said Georgia had proven its international reliability by its continued contribution to international peace and security.

Muto highlighted Georgia was an important player in the region and said Japan, as a friendly nation of Georgia, was interested in Georgia’s economic and democratic advancement. 

He stressed the two nations should enhance economic ties and reiterated his country’s support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

President of the Japanese parliament’s Upper Chamber Yamazaki Masaaki. appraised Georgia’s democratic efforts and ambitious reforms. Photo by Parliament of Georgia webpage.  

Also this afternoon Usupashvili met 

Masaaki empasised the importance of further enhancing parliamentary cooperation between Georgia and Japan, and said Usupashvili’s visit was "timely”. 

Masaaki highly appraised Georgia’s democratic efforts and ambitious reforms that served Georgia’s sustainable success and efforts to combat corruption. 

 Usupashvili said Georgia was ready to provide full efforts to "deepen our relations with Japan”. 

At the end of the meeting Masaaki offered a kind word and said he hoped to see Usupashvili and other Georgian officials at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. 

 Usupashvili’s official visit is due to end tomorrow.