Abe Leaves for 5-Day European Tour to Promote Free Trade

October 16, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left for a five-day tour of three European countries Tuesday, planning to underline the importance of free trade at an international meeting.

Abe and his wife, Akie, departed Tokyo International Airport at Haneda aboard a government plane to visit Spain, France and Belgium.

The prime minister will attend a summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting, or ASEM, forum in Brussels on Friday. While calling for additional efforts to promote free trade, Abe will urge other ASEM countries to implement sanctions against North Korea under U.N. Security Council resolutions.

"I want to highlight Japan's stance of pursuing the resolution of North Korea's nuclear, missile and abduction issues and affirm close cooperation with leaders of other countries," Abe told reporters before his departure.

"As a flag bearer of free trade, I'll strongly underline the significance of strengthening an economic order based on free and fair rules," he said.

He also expressed a wish to call for an early effectuation of the economic partnership agreement for free trade signed by Japan and the European Union earlier this year.

The ASEM forum is composed of 53 countries and organizations, including Japan, China and South Korea as well as the member countries of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations and the European Union.

Main agenda items of the summit will include sustainable development.

Abe is expected to emphasize the importance of high-quality infrastructure construction and transparency in investment projects, informed sources said.

He will hold talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Spain and French President Emmanuel Macron in France, aiming to agree on the need to boost bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, cultural exchanges and national security.

Abe will return home Saturday. Jiji Press