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

Japan-Greece Summit Meeting Friday, November 11, 2005 JAPANESE Click photographs to enlarge Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi held a meeting with Mr. Kostas Karamanlis, the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. Prime Minister Koizumi welcomed the first visit to Japan by Prime Minister Karamanlis, to which Prime Minister Karamanlis responded, "I have wanted to come to Japan for many years," and the meeting was conducted in a cordial atmosphere. At the meeting, the two leaders confirmed that their bilateral relations were advancing steadily in line with the Japan-Greece Joint Action Plan signed three years ago, and furthermore, exchanged views on a wide range of topics including international relations, economic exchanges, the Olympic Games, and cultural and art exchanges. Prime Minister Koizumi expressed his appreciation to Prime Minister Karamanlis for supporting the efforts of the G4 (Japan, Germany, India, and Brazil) to reform the United Nations (UN) to expand the UN Security Council. In response, Prime Minister Karamanlis said, "I hope closer relations between our two countries will be forged through various fora including the UN."