Top > What's up around the Prime Minister > May, 2005

Japan-Finland Summit Meeting Friday, May 13, 2005 Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi held a summit meeting with Mr. Matti Vanhanen, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Finland, at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. The two leaders discussed issues including bilateral relations and reform of the United Nations (UN). At the meeting, the two leaders confirmed their intention to expand exchanges through economic activities, tourism and other means. Prime Minister Vanhanen said that he would like to increase high-tech exports to Japan in the future. With respect to Finnair's request to increase the number of direct flights to Japan, Prime Minister Koizumi said that Narita Airport is filled to capacity, but that it would be possible to have new flights landing at Kansai Airport or Central Japan International Airport. Prime Minister Koizumi expressed his gratitude for Finland's overall support for Japan's position on UN reform, noting that Japan and Finland enjoy wide-ranging cooperative relations and share a common position regarding UN reform. Prime Minister Vanhanen said that Finland believed that it was necessary to reform the UN as a whole, and said that Finland supported Japan becoming a permanent member of the UN Security Council in the context of such reform.