Brazil and Japan signed a five-year action plan today aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership between the two nations through reciprocal state visits and a new framework for dialogue in areas such as diplomacy and defense, the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported, BTA reports.
The agreement to comprehensively strengthen bilateral relations was reached during a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Tokyo. The cooperation plan covers a wide range of areas, including security, the economy, trade and the fight against climate change.
Lula da Silva emphasized the importance of free trade and a multilateral approach, denouncing threats to democracy. He stressed that in the face of threats to democracy and multilateralism, as well as economic policies that restrict foreign trade, the moment is ideal for renewing the strategic partnership between Brazil and Japan.
“Democracy is the highest form of governance, and we must guarantee global governance and free trade“, said Lula, adding that both countries must reaffirm these values on the international stage.
Brazil is the second largest exporter of steel to the United States after Canada, and Japan is the sixth. Under President Donald Trump, both countries were subject to 25% tariffs.
Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba stressed Brazil's growing influence on the global stage, as the world's ninth-largest economy that shares Japan's values and principles.
Yesterday, Lula met with Emperor Naruhito and attended a state banquet at Japan's official residence for guests.
The Brazilian president expressed hope that negotiations on a trade agreement between Japan and the South American trading bloc "Mercosur" would begin in the second half of this year during Brazil's rotating presidency of the bloc.