Swiss President stresses role of science in diplomacy during Japan visit
Cassis discussed bilateral issues with his Japanese counterpart, Yoshimasa Hayashi (right).
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Switzerland and Japan have agreed closer cooperation on research during the visit of President and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis to the east Asian country.
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La ciencia ocupó un lugar destacado en la visita a Japón del presidente suizo
The agreement on joint scientific research projects was signed during a three-day presidential visit to Japan that ended on Thursday. Cassis was also accompanied by representatives from Swiss business and academia.
He gave a speech at Kyoto University about the role of science and diplomacy, according to a Swiss foreign ministryExternal link statement on Thursday.
“The international community must be able to harness potential developments in scientific research and take the best possible decisions on behalf of all human beings around the world,” he is quoted as saying.
Cassis also visited the city of Osaka and took part in a ceremony for the planned construction of a new Swiss consulate in the Kansai economic region.
The Swiss delegation met organisers of the World Expo in Osaka due to open in autumn 2025.
Politics and trade
In talks with the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Cassis addressed a potential strengthening of bilateral partnerships, notably in digitalisation and education.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine was also on the agenda, according to the Swiss foreign ministry.
However, hopes of upgrading a bilateral free trade agreement between Switzerland and Japan appear to have been unfulfilled.
Cassis indicated that Switzerland might have to adapt its current policy, according to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung newspaper. Switzerland was a pioneer when it inked a free trade deal with Japan in 2009, but the European Union has boosted its trade ties with Japan since.
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