Contributed Article by Prime Minister Ishiba to the O Globo on the Occasion of the G20 Summit - “A new chapter in Japan-Brazil relations: 130 years of friendship and international cooperation”

On the occasion of the G20 Rio de Janeiro Summit, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to President Lula, the Brazilian government officials, and the people of Brazil.

This year's G20 under the presidency of Brazil has set forth three priority issues: (1) the fight against hunger and poverty, (2) sustainable development and energy transition, and (3) reform of global governance institutions, and we, as the G20 member, have been working on these issues. I would like to express my respect for Brazil’s leadership in addressing these issues.

This is the second visit to Brazil by Japanese Prime Minister this year. Mutual visits between the leaders of Japan and Brazil have been very active, including President Lula's visit to Japan on the occasion of the G7 Hiroshima Summit last year. My personal relationship with Brazil dates back to 1988, the year of the 80th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Brazil, when I visited this country as a member of the House of Representatives’ delegation. It is a great pleasure to return to Brazil this year after taking office as Prime Minister. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the bilateral cooperation between Japan and Brazil, founded on the longstanding friendship between two countries.

Japan and Brazil have been fighting against hunger and poverty for many years. Stability of food supplies is essential to this mission. Japan has cooperated with Brazil through PRODECER, a program that began in 1979 and has upgraded the production of approximately 345,000 hectares in the Cerrado region, making Brazil the largest global producer of soybeans and contributing to the stabilization of the world's food supply.

Environmental issues and climate change have become urgent issues. In March this year, Japan became the first Asian country to contribute to the Amazon Fund, and the country is also cooperating to strengthen Brazilian capacity to control illegal deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, using Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) satellites and AI technology.

Furthermore, the two countries have been co-chaired the Informal Meeting on ‘Future Actions Against Climate Change’, which has been held annually in Tokyo for over 20 years, while leading discussions on climate change. In order to realize a sustainable world, it is important to aim for the common goal of net zero emissions through a variety of pathways, taking advantage of all technologies and energy sources according to each country's situation. Japan, with its cutting edge low-carbon technology in the mobility sector, and Brazil, holder of the cleanest energy matrix in the G20, are in a unique position to lead the world in this area. Under the Initiative for Sustainable Fuels and Mobility, we will contribute to global carbon neutrality by building on the strengths of both countries.

In May, we launched the “Japan-Brazil Green Partnership Initiative”, focusing on combating climate change and sustainable development. We reaffirmed our determination to cooperate in transforming degraded pasturelands into arable land, avoiding deforestation and maintaining Brazil's position as one of the world's main food suppliers.

Cooperation in sustainable development with Brazil would not be possible without the continuous efforts of Nikkei (Japanese immigrants and their descendants) community. In Northern Brazil, for example, the Agroforestry System in Tomé-Açu (PA), (SAFTA for its Portuguese initials), combines the cultivation of black pepper, tropical fruit trees and arboriculture. This farming method was developed by Japanese farmers in the 1970s and has been carried on to this day with the support of Japan. We will continue to cooperate with Brazil to ensure sustainable land use, biodiversity and forest conservation.

Cooperation in disaster prevention also deserves attention in this partnership. In order to help the victims of the torrential rains in Rio Grande do Sul, Japan provided an emergency donation of water purifiers. In recent years, many parts of Japan have also been hit by heavy rains. Disaster prevention is an issue shared by both countries. Against this backdrop, we are strengthening Brazil’s ability to deal with landslides through technical cooperation, thereby increasing the capacity to plan, build and maintain disaster prevention structures. Japan will also continue to strengthen cooperation with Brazil in this area.

In the current international situation, Japan values guiding the world toward cooperation rather than division and confrontation. To this end, it is essential to comply with international law, including the principles of the UN Charter, such as sovereignty and territorial integrity. The ongoing Russia's aggression against Ukraine is a clear violation of international law. A just and lasting peace for Ukraine must be sought urgently. It is also clear that the escalating situation in the Middle East threatens the stability and peace of the region and the international community. Japan, together with the international community, will urge all parties to exercise the utmost restraint, and will work to improve the humanitarian situation in the Middle East, including Gaza.

We must not tolerate attempts to unilaterally change the status quo through force or coercion, anywhere in the world. It is essential to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law. In a severe international scenario, and with the drastic changes underway in the world, at this time, approaching the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN, multilateralism, with the UN at its core, is becoming increasingly important. Japan and Brazil have been working together to reform the UN, in particular, its Security Council. In the Pact for the Future, recently adopted at the UN Summit of the Future, the world leaders concluded that the reform of the UN Security Council is urgent. Japan, as a member of the G4, will work closely to take steps to realize this reform.

Japan and Brazil are “Strategic and Global Partners” that share values and principles. Japan regards Brazil as a friendly country with which it shares special human ties, being the home of the largest Nikkei community in the world. Next year marks the 130th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries.

Celebrating this milestone, we agreed to designate it as the “Japan-Brazil Friendship Exchange Year”, promoting cooperation in various fields such as culture, tourism and sports. Regarding peoplo-to-people exchanges, the number of Brazilian visitors to Japan has doubled since September last year, following the exemption of short-term stay visa. I hope that business travel between the two countries will also increase. And based on past success, I want to make this a year for opening new frontiers of cooperation between our two countries.

My visit to Brazil on the occasion of the G20 Rio de Janeiro Summit and the Friendship Exchange Year will mark the opening of a new chapter in Japan-Brazil relations. I will work hand in hand with President Lula, the government and members of the Parliament to further strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation in the international arena.