Swiss, Japanese leaders agree to explore trade deal upgrade
The meeting with Suga on Saturday was the President’s first official meeting during his stay in Japan.
EPA/Franck Robichon/pool - Keystone
Swiss President Guy Parmelin said economic ties were strong and relations between the two countries excellent following his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in Tokyo on Saturday.
Parmelin, who heads the economics ministry, stressed the need to upgrade the 2009 bilateral free trade agreement, notably to improve market access for Switzerland, now that Japan has a trade deal with the European Union. Suga said he was ready to study opportunities to do this.
After delays in talks due to the Covid-19 pandemic, technical discussions will now begin between the Alpine country and its second most important trade partner in Asia.
During the meeting, Parmelin praised Japan for its commitment to the Olympic ideal as host of the Summer Games, which began on Friday. The two men also discussed international cooperation and domestic measures to fight the pandemic.
While in Tokyo, the Swiss leader also welcomed the opening of a new consulate in Osaka that will house an office of swissnex, the Swiss network for education, research and innovation. The office, which is set to begin operations in 2022, will help promote cooperation between researchers and start-ups in the two countries, according to the president.
Japan is a priority country in Switzerland’s foreign policy strategy for 2020-2023.
Cancelled meetings
The meeting with Suga was the President’s first official meeting during his stay in Japan. Parmelin was forced to cancel meetings scheduled on Friday with Emperor Naruhito and the foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi after technical problems with the Swiss leader’s aircraft delayed his arrival in Tokyo.
More
More
Swiss president forced to miss meeting with Japanese emperor
This content was published on
Technical issues with his plane meant Guy Parmelin was unable to meet Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Friday.
Should raw milk sales be banned or should consumers decide?
Swiss food regulations do not allow raw milk to be sold for direct consumption. However, a loophole allows 400 raw milk vending machines to do just that.
AI can reduce the number of animals needed for research
This content was published on
Swiss researchers have developed a new, AI-supported method that analyses the behaviour of mice in the laboratory more efficiently.
Geneva Conventions conference on Middle East scheduled for March 2025
This content was published on
The conference on the Middle East of the 196 States party to the Geneva Conventions, organised by Switzerland, will take place in Geneva in March.
Swiss university graduates are popular hires worldwide
This content was published on
Graduates of Swiss universities are popular with international employers, according to the Global Employability University Rankings.
French cross-border workers in Switzerland fear ‘discriminatory’ unemployment reform
This content was published on
In the French region around Geneva, cross-border workers are protesting proposals to cut unemployment benefits for those working in Switzerland.
A Swiss-Japanese alliance that has thrived in the crisis
This content was published on
Merger or partnership? How the 18-year-old “strategic alliance” between pharma giant Roche and Japanese biotech firm Chugai works.
Building a digital assets corridor between Switzerland, Japan and Singapore
This content was published on
When Swiss and Asian expertise join hands to profit from emerging financial technologies, such as blockchain-inspired crypto assets.
Olympics: ‘Sport has a responsibility to do no harm’
This content was published on
The head of the Geneva-based Centre for Sport and Human Rights says athletes’ freedom of expression is a huge opportunity to advance human rights.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.