site.btaUPDATED Bulgaria, Japan Sign Strategic Partnership Declaration

In Tokyo on Tuesday, President Rumen Radev and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba signed a declaration on raising Bulgaria-Japan relations the level of strategic partnership.

The declaration, provided to the BTA by the Embassy of Japan in Bulgaria, states that:

• Security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region is indivisible;
• Japan and Bulgaria evaluate positively their support for Ukraine, unconditionally oppose any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force anywhere in the world;
• Agree to strengthen their cooperation within the context of Japan-EU and Japan-NATO;
• Japanese businesses are returning to Bulgaria;
• Japan and Bulgaria, as regional innovation hubs, will take concrete steps to strengthen cooperation in the field of information and digital technologies, and will also promote cooperation in the fields of industry, science and technology, and energy;
• The two sides reaffirm the importance of cultural exchange, student exchange, language training, tourism, and will encourage further cooperation in these areas.

The Bulgarian Head of State was welcomed with military honours at the Japanese Prime Minister's residence, after which a meeting was held between the two leaders and delegations. A joint press conference is also planned.

On Monday, Japanese Emperor Naruhito gave an audience for Radev. The meeting lasted half an hour and took place at the Imperial Palace.

The Bulgarian Head of State visited Japan in 2019 for the enthronement ceremony of the Japanese Emperor.

President Radev is on an official visit to Japan, heading a Bulgarian delegation which includes representatives of the country’s business sector. Earlier today the President took part in a Bulgaria-Japan Business Forum, which was attended by senior executives of 150 Japanese companies operating in various sectors.