Congratulatory Letters from Prime Minister Ishiba to President of the European Council Costa and President of the European Commission von der Leyen

On December 1st, Mr. ISHIBA Shigeru, Prime Minister of Japan, sent congratulatory letters to H.E. Dr. António Luís Santos da Costa, President of the European Council, and H.E. Dr. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission on their appointment respectively.
 
In these letters, Prime Minister Ishiba extended his congratulations on President Costa’s and President von der Leyen’s appointments as the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission. He also stated that Japan and the EU are strategic partners who uphold the free and open international order based on the rule of law, and are addressing together various challenges faced by the international community, and that the relations between Japan and the EU have become closer than ever before as the Japan-EU Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) will enter into force in January next year, building upon the steady implementation of the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). Prime Minister Ishiba also stated that he is looking forward to coordinating with the EU on tackling various global challenges.