Prime Minister Mertz visited Japan and said that the two countries are far apart but neighbors

(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae said at a press conference on Wednesday (October 28) that the international situation is becoming increasingly tense. Japan and Germany are "quality partners" and cooperation is more important than ever. The two countries should join hands to contribute to the peace and stability of the international community. Both sides hope to enhance combat readiness and strengthen the foundation of the defense industry.

Mertz praised Japan as one of its closest partners and emphasized Japan's importance to Germany. He said that despite the distance between the two countries, people can still call Japan and Germany neighbors.

Enterprises from Germany and Japan have signed a number of cooperation agreements in the field of nuclear fusion energy. German start-up Proxima Fusion has agreed to collaborate with Fujikura, the world's leading manufacturer of high-temperature superconducting materials (HTS), paving the way for the establishment of large-scale HTS industrial production in Lower Saxony. The company announced that the letter of intent was signed in Tokyo, with Prime Minister Mertz and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attending the signing ceremony. Germany and Japan are both leading countries in nuclear fusion research.

German company Quantum Systems plans to expand its business in Japan. The company stated that it will establish an industrial manufacturing base in Japan and, on this basis, consolidate its cooperative relationships with Japanese companies such as Mitsubishi Chemical and Panasonic Electric. The cooperation focuses on the development and manufacturing of unmanned aerial systems, including sales in Japan, and building a more resilient supply chain. To date, Quantum has accumulated rich experience through the production of drones in Ukraine.

In order to establish a sound supply chain and diversify the supply sources of key minerals, the heads of government of the two countries agreed to hold high-level dialogue on artificial intelligence cooperation and hold an artificial intelligence summit in Japan.

The two sides signed dozens of agreements

After meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister, Mertz mentioned more than 20 bilateral business transactions. A number of agreements have also been reached between government departments of the two countries. The economic ministries of the two countries have launched a raw materials cooperation plan to reduce the dependence of the two countries' industries on Chinese raw material supplies. Mechanisms for Germany and Japan to strengthen cooperation include joint procurement agreements and co-financing.

Mertz and Takaichi Sanae pledged to further strengthen economic and technological cooperation between the two countries. Japan is expected to be the guest of honor at the 2028 Hannover Messe. The two governments plan to hold consultations next year.