TOKYO – Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday met his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida at the prime minister’s residence in Tokyo, where they signed a Joint Statement of Strategic Cooperation between Greece and Japan.

“With this statement, our countries significantly upgrade their strategic relations and we inaugurate a field of close cooperation over a range of different sectors of policy: political, economic, climate, digital education, culture and tourism,” Mitsotakis said after the meeting. He said the statement will act as a guide for bilateral cooperation in the years to come.

The joint statement enhances cooperation between Greece and Japan in areas of mutual interest.

The meeting between the two prime ministers was followed by a meeting between the delegations of the two sides and an official dinner.

Mitsotakis said the two countries could give a new impetus to their bilateral relations after nearly two decades, while highlighting the similarities between them and their agreement “on particularly important global and regional issues”. He said the discussion had revealed major opportunities for economic cooperation between Japan, the third-largest economy in the world and Greece “which is emerging as a reliable and very stable investment destination and trading partner.”

In Japan, Mitsotakis Meets Crown Prince, Pushes Investments in Greece

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ hunt for more foreign investors to speed a recovery as the COVID-19 pandemic winds down took him to Japan where he met Crown Prince Akishino and pitched government officials about Greece.

Mitsotakis was accompanied by his wife Mareva Grabowski and the Crown Prince was accompanied by Princess Akishino of Japan during their meeting in Tokyo which centered on climate change and sustainable energy, said Greece’s state-run Athens-Macedonia News Agency AMNA.

Mitsotakis briefed the royal couple on Greece’s energy initiatives, especially moving to transform some small islands into models of a green economy, energy autonomy and digital innovation.

Earlier, Mitsotakis met with the  House Speaker Hiroyuki Hosoda to discuss expanding bilateral relations and the Greek leader took the chance to talk about prospects for Japanese businesses in Greece after wooing China.

They also discussed developments in Ukraine, international and regional issues and Japan’s cooperation with the Euro-Atlantic institutions, Mitsotakis also discussing constant Turkish provocations, the report said.

On Facebook, he said, “Good morning from Japan! It is an important visit to one of the largest economies in the world and one with which we hope to develop even closer relations.”

He reminded that Japanese institutional investors had stopped investing in Greek bonds during during a 2010-18 economic and austerity crisis because ratings fell into the junk category but are now rising again.

“Now that we are on the doorstep before regaining it, this visit is more than just timely,” he added without saying which business leaders he would meet during his visit or what he would discuss with them.