Joint Press Release with the Ministry of Foreign AffairsFirst Round of Negotiations on a Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)

The first round of negotiations on a Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) will be held in Brussels, Belgium, from April 15 to 19. The meeting will be attended by, on the Japanese side, Mr. Jun Yokota, Special Representative of the Government of Japan in charge of the Japan-EU EPA negotiations (Chief Negotiator), Mr. Hirofumi Katase, Director-General for Trade Policy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and representatives from other relevant ministries and on the EU side, Mr. Mauro Petriccione, Director for Asia and Latin America, Directorate General for Trade, the European Commission (Chief Negotiator) and other representatives. At the meetings, the scope and procedure of negotiations will be discussed.

First round of negotiations on a Japan-EU agreement covering political and other cooperation

The first round of negotiations on a Japan-EU agreement covering political and other cooperation will be held in Tokyo on April 19 and 22 (extra day: April 23). The meeting will be attended by, on the Japanese side, Mr. Jun Yamada, Deputy Director General of the European Affairs Bureau (Chief Negotiator) and representatives from other relevant ministries, and on the EU side, Mr. Viorel Isticioaia Budura, Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific, the European External Action Service (Chief Negotiator) and other representatives.

April 9, 2013

Economic Partnership Division, Trade Policy Bureau