Meeting between Prime Minister Kishida and H.E. Mr. Christian Wulff, Former President of the Federal Republic of Germany

On September 28, commencing at 9:25 a.m., Mr. KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan, held a meeting with H.E. Mr. Christian Wulff, Former President of the Federal Republic of Germany who visited Japan to attend the State Funeral for the former Prime Minister ABE Shinzo, for approximately 15 minutes. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

1. At the beginning, Prime Minister Kishida appreciated Mr. Wulff for his visit to Japan to attend the State Funeral for former Prime Minister Abe. Prime Minister Kishida also expressed his pleasure to meet with Mr. Wulff, who has close ties to Japan, including his serving as honorary president of the 150th anniversary of the Japan-Germany diplomatic relations in 2011. In response, Mr. Wulff expressed his deepest condolences for the passing of former Prime Minister Abe and conveyed his gratitude for the welcome.

2. Prime Minister Kishida then expressed his appreciation for Mr. Wulff's continued contribution to the further development of Japan-Germany relations during and after his term in office, by maintaining exchanges with various stakeholders, including Japanese political and business circles.

3. Both sides also shared the view that, as the rules-based international order is under great challenges, the need for Japan and Germany, both of which share fundamental values, to work together is greater than ever.

4. Furthermore, both sides confirmed their intention to develop ties between the two countries not only in the political and economic spheres, but also in a broader context, including exchanges among citizens or in the fields such as science, technology, culture and sports.