Remarks made by His Excellency Mr Katsuya Okada, Foreign Minister of Japan at the Joint Press Conference of the Japan-South Africa Partnership Forum,
Friday 30 April 2010.

I wish to express my gratitude to the government and people of South Africa for warmly welcoming me and my Japanese delegation to your country. The 10th meeting of the Japan-South Africa Partnership Forum is the first official meeting held between our two countries under the new administrations of both Japan and South Africa. Through our discussions today it is agreed that Japan and South Africa will strengthen our “Strategic Cooperative Relations.” I had very useful discussions in my meeting with Minister Nkoana-Mashabane which served as political session of the Partnership Forum. Through our meeting, we have agreed to strengthen our cooperation in a wide range of areas including political and economic issues. As concrete measures to strengthen this cooperation, we have agreed to:

  • Work out dates for an official visit of President Zuma to Japan,
  • Sign a Technical Cooperation Agreement soon, and
  • Initiate negotiation for an agreement on cooperation for the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

We have also agreed to strengthen our dialogue on global issues such as reform of the United Nations Security Council, climate change, disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. It is my sincere hope that my visit this time becomes an important step for the strengthening of “Strategic Cooperative Relations” between our two countries and for the deepening of a mutual understanding between the peoples of Japan and South Africa.