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- Minister Muto Receives Courtesy Call from Chair Yasunaga, Japan-Brazil Economic Committee, and Chairman Pimenta, Brazil-Japan Business Council
Minister Muto Receives Courtesy Call from Chair Yasunaga, Japan-Brazil Economic Committee, and Chairman Pimenta, Brazil-Japan Business Council
November 6, 2024
On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, Mr. Muto Yoji, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, received a courtesy call from Mr. Yasunaga Tatsuo, Chair, Japan-Brazil Economic Committee, Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) and Representative Director and Chair of the Board of Directors, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., and Mr. Gustavo Pimenta, Chairman, Brazil-Japan Business Council, Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI) (CEO, Vale).
At the beginning of the call, Chair Yasunaga and CNI Chairman Pimenta directly handed Minister Muto two documents: the Joint Statement on the Promotion of Japan-Brazil Economic Relations, which was adopted at the meeting of the Japan-Brazil Economic Committee jointly held by Keidanren and CNI in Tokyo, and Joint Recommendations Calling for Prompt Action to Establish Japan-Mercosur* EPA.
In response, Minister Muto expressed his appreciation to the chair and the chairman not only for the concrete proposals from Japanese and Brazilian industry players for the enhancement of Japan-Brazil and Japan-Mercosur economic ties but also for the efforts made by the industry players in both countries that have been contributing to enhancing Japan-Brazil economic ties.
Moreover, Minister Muto stated that the enhancement of economic ties with Mercosur is important for Japan from the perspectives of expanding trade and investment and ensuring competitive conditions for Japanese companies. He also shared his expectations that, taking the opportunity of the 130th anniversary of the establishment of Japan-Brazil diplomatic ties in 2025 and the holding of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, in which Brazil will feature its national pavilion, personnel and economic exchanges will become even more active between Japan and Brazil, continuing into the future.
*Note: Mercosur is a tariff union launched in 1995 with the aim of eliminating tariffs within the region consisting of Latin American countries as member states, namely Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Venezuela (whose membership has been suspended).
Division in Charge
Latin America and Caribbean Office, Trade Policy Bureau