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Leaders of the European Union and Japan launched an alliance Wednesday aimed at boosting economic cooperation, defending free trade and countering unfair trade practices as the two sides face growing challenges from the United States and China.
The agreement followed a meeting among European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. It comes just as Tokyo and Washington reached a new trade deal, which places 15% tariffs on Japanese cars and other goods imported into the U.S., down from an initial 25%.
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The EU and Japan also agreed to strengthen defense industry cooperation and to start talks on an information security agreement.
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In a joint statement released following the EU-Japan summit, EU and Japan reiterated their opposition to “any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion” in the East and South China seas — a nod to Beijing’s growing assertiveness in contested waters — and condemned "the militarisation of the disputed features, coercion and intimidation in the South China Sea."
The two sides also expressed their support for Taiwan, reiterating "opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion," and their ongoing support for Ukraine and Moldova.
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