The leaders of Japan and the European Union will likely agree Thursday to further cooperation on key industrial materials and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence.
A day after attending a NATO summit in Lithuania, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is now in Brussels, started holding talks with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Japan and the European Union could issue a joint statement detailing a range of agreements between the leaders later in the day, according to officials with knowledge of its planning.
The officials said one of the noteworthy outcomes may be the establishment of a framework to facilitate ministerial security dialogue.
Japan and the 27-nation bloc have been working closely to ensure a stable supply of semiconductors and other critical materials needed for manufacturers, even in the event of crises such as natural disasters and pandemics.
Earlier this month, the two sides signed a deal to develop a mechanism for information sharing to prevent potential supply shortages of chips.
As has been the case in recent years, with China's rise in the Indo-Pacific region and elsewhere in mind, cooperation on maritime security and cyberspace are among the agreements expected to be included in the communique.
Also, the European Union's remaining import restrictions on Japanese food products imposed in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant disaster are expected to top the agenda.
The Japanese government has long pursued the removal of radiation test certificate requirements for seafood and mushrooms originating from Fukushima and nine other prefectures.
Japan and the European Union normally hold talks at the leader level once a year. The last summit took place in May 2022 in Tokyo.
