Japan and UK Hold First Space Consultation; Motegi Joins G7 Sessions on Ukraine and the Middle East in Paris
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a new round of official updates on November 12, covering five items: Japan and the United Kingdom held their first space consultation online on November 11; the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting took place in Paris on November 9 and 10 and issued a joint declaration, with Foreign Minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu taking part in two sessions on stability in the Middle East and support to Ukraine; and State Minister for Foreign Affairs HORII hosted a dinner on November 11 for a visiting Australian parliamentary delegation.
The first Japan-UK Space Consultation was held online on November 11 at director level, based on the shared understanding reached by the two countries' leaders at the Japan-UK summit in January this year to launch the consultation. Officials from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cabinet Office, National Security Secretariat, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Defense and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), together with the UK Space Agency, the National Security Secretariat and the Ministry of Defence, exchanged updates on their space policies and discussed a range of areas. Both sides confirmed the great potential for Japan-UK cooperation across all space fields, including civil cooperation, industry and security, and concurred on further deepening their collaboration. They also shared the view that international rules and norms should be developed through collaboration among allies and like-minded countries, and concurred on initiating an exchange of views among relevant authorities regarding international on-orbit services. Both sides agreed to continue the consultations and to vigorously promote further concrete cooperation.
The G7 session on stability in the Middle East began at 10:50 a.m. local time in Paris on November 10 and lasted about 70 minutes, attended by the G7 foreign ministers, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the invited foreign ministers of Brazil, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Minister Motegi expressed deep concern over the continued deterioration of the situation surrounding Yemen, said Japan would work with the international community to ensure free and safe navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, noted that Japan had repeatedly called on the Houthis to exercise maximum restraint, and emphasized the need for a political solution to the conflict. He also expressed support for the early resumption of talks between the United States and Iran, said Japan would continue its approaches to Iran, and stressed that free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz without any additional costs must be restored as soon as possible, with the future of the strait to be discussed by those concerned. The ministers reaffirmed the importance of free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, confirmed their opposition to additional costs on maritime transit through Hormuz, discussed the situations in Israel and Palestine and developments in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon, and concurred to work closely toward an early de-escalation and stabilization of the Middle East as a whole.
The G7 session on support to Ukraine began the same day at 12:25 p.m. in the form of a working lunch and lasted about 60 minutes, attended by the G7 foreign ministers, the EU High Representative and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Minister Motegi shared concerns over the expanding impact of Russia's attacks and explained that Japan has consistently supported Ukraine and imposed sanctions against Russia. He emphasized that developments such as military cooperation between Russia and North Korea demonstrate that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific is inseparable, and that all G7 members should work together on the issues in each region. The ministers confirmed they would continue to support Ukraine, including by helping to strengthen its energy security and providing winterization assistance.
The joint declaration issued after the meeting reaffirmed unwavering support for Ukraine, backed US-led efforts to facilitate peace through negotiations, condemned the provision of military assistance to Russia by North Korea and Iran, and set out positions on Iran's nuclear program, Yemen, Lebanon, Gaza and Syria, as well as on the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, the denuclearization of North Korea, and the situations in Myanmar and Sudan. GSM has published separate reports on the declaration and on the response by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On November 11, State Minister HORII Iwao hosted a dinner for an Australian parliamentary delegation visiting Japan under the Japan-Australia Young Political Leaders Exchange Program, exchanging views including on Japan-Australia relations with Senator Richard Dowling, Mr. Tom Venning MP and Senator Charlotte Walker. Minister Horii welcomed the delegation and said the Japan-Australia relationship, now stronger than ever, is supported by people-to-people exchanges such as this program. The delegation expressed gratitude for the visit and said its members would continue to work toward the further development of Japan-Australia relations, building on the deeper understanding of Japan gained through the visit. Both sides also exchanged views on promoting cooperation across a range of areas, including security, resources and energy, and economic security, particularly critical minerals.
(Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于东京霞关的日本外务省本馆。摄于2018年，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The main building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in Kasumigaseki, Tokyo (2018). CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
