Japan, Mercosur Hold 1st Partnership Meeting

Tokyo, Jan. 28 (Jiji Press)--Japan and Mercosur countries have held the first meeting to discuss their strategic partnership, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

At the meeting, which took place in Asuncion, Paraguay’s capital, on Tuesday, senior officials from Japan and the South American common market members, including Argentina and Brazil, exchanged opinions on trade and investment issues with a view to enhancing bilateral economic ties.

In light of expectations Mercosur expressed at the meeting for launching negotiations on an economic partnership agreement with Japan, both sides agreed to accelerate their strategic partnership framework talks, the ministry said.

The ministry’s Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau Director-General Motoyuki Ishize represented Japan.

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