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

Japan-Thailand Summit Meeting Thursday, September 1, 2005 JAPANESE Click photographs to enlarge Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi held a summit meeting with Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. At the meeting, the two leaders affirmed that an agreement in principle had been reached between the Japanese side and the Thai side on all major elements of the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (hereinafter referred to as the "JTEPA"), on the basis of a series of negotiations since February 2004, including a meeting at ministerial level held in Bangkok on July 31 and August 1, 2005. The two leaders instructed the finalization of the text of the JTEPA so as to enable it to come into force as early as possible and achieve the goal of facilitating market access. The two leaders issued a joint press statement after the summit meeting. During the press conference, Prime Minister Koizumi said, "I am truly pleased that we had a frank and fruitful meeting today and that we reached an agreement in principle on the JTEPA. Thailand is the destination of the largest amount of Japanese trade and investment in Asia, so I believe that the JTEPA will further promote and strengthen Japan-Thailand relations. I would like to work together to further deepen relations between Japan and Thailand in the future. Thank you very much for visiting Japan." In response, Prime Minister Thaksin said, "I would like to thank Prime Minister Koizumi for inviting me to Japan and am grateful for being able to announce that an agreement in principle has been reached. Despite the fact that the election campaign is underway and that it is Japan's national Disaster Prevention Day today, I am happy that Prime Minister Koizumi could spare his valuable time to be able to jointly announce that an agreement in principle has been reached on the JTEPA."