Kono, Merkel Agree to Enhance Cooperation for Free Trade

September 7, 2018

Berlin- Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed in Berlin Thursday to cooperate more firmly in promoting multilateral and free trade systems, at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump's "America first" policy is shaking the existing international trade order.

After the meeting, Kono told reporters that he and Merkel found it necessary for Japan and Germany to enhance rule-based international trade amid trade tensions between the United States and China escalating.

The economic superpowers' moves against the existing trade system are causing confusion, he pointed out.

At the meeting, Kono also requested an early Japan visit by Merkel.

In reply, Merkel was quoted as saying that she would like to, first, have talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires later this year.

The Japanese and German leaders both acknowledged the importance of promoting free trade at their meeting held on the occasion of the Group of Seven summit in Canada in June.

Elsewhere in the Berlin talks, Kono and Merkel affirmed their countries' close cooperation for coping with the North Korean situation. Jiji Press