Top > What's up around the Prime Minister > October, 2004

Japan-Switzerland Summit Meeting Tuesday, October 12, 2004 Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi held a meeting with Mr. Joseph Deiss, the President of the Swiss Confederation at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. At the meeting, the two leaders agreed that the both countries would i) take necessary measures for promoting two-way investment between Japan and Switzerland; ii) launch negotiations toward the conclusion of a science and technology cooperation agreement, based on previous cooperation between the two countries in the field of science and technology including nanotechnology and life sciences; and iii) further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the World Trade Organization (WTO). Furthermore, President Deiss said that the two countries should formulate a framework for trade expansion, expressing his hope that research currently being conducted by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), among others, would eventually lead to the conclusion of a free trade agreement (FTA). To this, Prime Minister Koizumi said that he expected the two countries to engage in further research on this matter.