Japan, Mercosur launch strategic partnership framework

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - Japan and the South American bloc Mercosur have launched a strategic partnership framework to enhance cooperation in trade, investment, and supply chains, a statement released Saturday on the Japanese Foreign Ministry website read.

The Japanese government announced plans to hold the first meeting under this framework early next year, with the attendance of foreign ministries and relevant ministries of Japan and Mercosur member countries.

A joint statement noted that Japan and Mercosur are "one of each other's most important economic partners, with a significant potential for deepening and diversifying their economic relations."

During talks in Tokyo with Japan's then-Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in March, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva affirmed that Mercosur would work to strengthen its ties with Japan.

Mercosur consists of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, with a combined population of approximately 280 million.