Switzerland and Japan pay tribute to democracy and rule of law
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have met in Tokyo and spoken out in favour of democracy, the rule of law, multilateralism and a rules-based global order following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ts
Português
pt
A Suíça e o Japão prestam tributo à democracia e ao Estado de direito
In their talks Cassis and Kishida, as well as Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, emphasised the good bilateral relations based on shared values, the foreign ministry said in a statementExternal link on Monday.
“We are living through a time in which these principles are increasingly being called into question. It is all the more important that we stand up for them together,” said Cassis, who also holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year.
Regarding the war in Ukraine, the discussions revolved around the security challenges in Europe and Asia. Kishida, in opening remarks at their meeting, said Russia’s invasion undermined the foundation of the international order not only in Europe but also in Asia. “Now is the time for the international society to unite more than ever,” he said.
Other topics included cooperation in international organisations as well as strengthening the partnership in the areas of trade, investment, science and digitalisation.
Important trade partner
Japan is Switzerland’s second-most important trade partner in Asia, excluding precious metals, and a free-trade agreement has been in place since 2009. Cassis reiterated that from Switzerland’s point of view a modernisation of the existing free-trade agreement would be desirable.
The trade volume is around CHF12 billion ($12.7 billion) a year. Japan is also an important country for Switzerland in terms of research cooperation. Both countries are also candidates for membership of the UN Security Council for the period 2023/24.
Cassis will also visit Osaka, where the focus is on the new training and research location of the Swissnex network and the World Expo 2025, and Kyoto, where the visit will be devoted in particular to scientific cooperation. Cassis will be accompanied by a business and science delegation.
More
More
Swiss, Japanese leaders agree to explore trade deal upgrade
This content was published on
Swiss President Guy Parmelin said economic ties between the two countries were strong after meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
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.
Swan infected with bird flu in central Switzerland
This content was published on
Switzerland has reported its first bird flu case of the season. A swan found dead in central Switzerland tested positive for the H5N1 virus.
Swiss researchers identify gene variants linked to cancer progression
This content was published on
ETH Zurich researchers explored genetic mutations’ effects on cell function and their role in cancer development and treatment using CRISPR/Cas techniques.
Explosion at Swiss company Givaudan’s US plant leaves two dead
This content was published on
Swiss flavour and fragrance maker Givaudan reported that an explosion at its Kentucky plant resulted in two deaths and several injuries.
Swisscom’s Vodafone Italia takeover cleared by Italian telecoms authority
This content was published on
Swisscom is one step closer to its planned acquisition of Vodafone Italia, as the Italian communications regulator has approved the €8 billion deal.
Swiss parliamentary committee proposes foreign aid cuts and military funding boost
This content was published on
A committee of the Swiss House of Representatives has proposed increasing funds for the military and agriculture while reducing foreign aid and asylum.
Swiss Rolex Submariner watches reach nearly $50 billion in total market value
This content was published on
The total market value of all Rolex Submariner watches ever made is nearly $50 billion, based on newly released production data.
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.
Read more
More
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.
This content was published on
A Japanese man came all the way to Switzerland to die. SWI swissinfo.ch accompanied him on the final part of his journey. This is his story.
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.