Date of release : 27-04-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

Event : EU-Japan Summit

The Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will travel to Luxembourg on 2 May 2005 where he will participate in the 14^th EU-Japan Summit.

The European Union will be represented by Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Council, by Javier Solana, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Policy, and by José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission.

The exchange of views will focus essentially on the different aspects of the EU-Japan action plan adopted in 2001. Cooperation in areas of the economy, finance, trade and science will therefore be at the centre of the discussions.

Other topics on the Summit agenda will be sustainable development, the reform of the United Nations, and foreign policy dossiers.

The strengthening of relations between Europe and Asia in the context of the ASEM process (Asia-Europe Meeting) will also be looked at by the two delegations.

Furthermore, the two Presidents will assess the 2005 initiative – year of exchange between the citizens of the European Union and Japan, whose aim is to improve cultural exchanges through the holding of events in Europe and in Japan.