Japan's Foreign Minister Motegi Attends APEC Ministerial Meeting: Backs FTAAP Process, Calls Middle East De-escalation Vital to Energy Security

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on November 4 that the 37th APEC Joint Ministerial Meeting was held in virtual format on November 3, hosted by China, and that Foreign Minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu participated. The meeting began at 9:00 p.m. Japan time (8:00 p.m. local time) and lasted approximately four hours.

In the first session, themed "Work Towards an Asia-Pacific Community," Motegi said that in today's world, where uncertainty in the global economy is ever-increasing, it is crucial to strengthen a free, fair and rules-based international economic order, and that Japan supports the FTAAP agenda toward free and fair regional economic integration in the Asia-Pacific.

As part of Japan's concrete efforts for rulemaking, Motegi noted, Japan has led a project to advance the Data Free Flow with Trust initiative in digital trade and another project aimed at improving the business environment and exploring trade rules for the development of "safe, secure, and trustworthy" super intelligence (SI). He added that, to ensure economic activities in the APEC region, which is closely interconnected through supply chains, are not negatively affected, APEC, as a forum responsible for realizing a free and fair regional economy, needs to work together to address challenges.

On energy security, Motegi said early de-escalation of the situation in the Middle East is vitally important to the international community, and that Japan is making every effort to stabilize supply chains between the Middle East and Asia through initiatives such as POWERR Asia.

In the second session, themed "Advance Economic Integration for New Growth in the Region," Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry AKAZAWA Ryosei made remarks. Many participating ministers underscored the need to aim for further economic development by utilizing growth engines such as SI and digital technologies while addressing rising uncertainty in the global economy, and reaffirmed the importance of further cooperation and partnership toward economic development and prosperity across the Asia-Pacific region.

Related: Follow-up: 37th APEC Joint Ministerial Meeting Held; Wang Yi Calls for a Strong Finish to the APEC China Year

(Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)

Related: China Foreign Ministry on a Possible China-Russia-US Leaders Meeting at APEC: In Communication With Relevant Parties

Related: China's Foreign Ministry: Xi Jinping To Chair APEC Leaders' Meeting In Shenzhen On Nov. 18-19

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: 图：日本外相茂木敏充（左）与美国国务卿 Marco Rubio 今年2月会面时合影。美国国务院摄，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Japanese Foreign Minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu (left) with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a meeting in February 2026. Photo by the U.S. Department of State, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

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