Congratulatory Message from Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to President-elect of the French Republic Francois Hollande

"The World and Japan" Database (Project Leader: TANAKA Akihiko)

Database of Japanese Politics and International Relations

National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS); Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA), The University of Tokyo

[Title] Congratulatory Message from Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to President-elect of the French Republic Francois Hollande

[Place]

[Date] May 7, 2012

[Source] Prime Minister of JAPAN and His Cabinet

[Notes] Provisional Translation

[Full text]

1. On Monday, May 7, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda sent a congratulatory message to Mr. Francois Hollande upon his election as the next President of the French Republic in the French presidential election held on Sunday, May 6.

2. In his letter to Mr. Hollande, Prime Minister Noda noted that France and Japan are important partners which share basic values such as democracy and rule of law, and stressed the crucial importance of the two countries cooperating to address current pressing matters such as the North Korean and Iranian nuclear issues. He also conveyed his strong intention to move forward with a Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

3. Furthermore, in response to a message addressed to Prime Minister Noda on the development of Japan-France relations that was delivered on behalf of Mr. Hollande by Mr. Laurent Fabius, Former Prime Minister of the French Republic, during his visit to Japan in February this year, Prime Minister Noda conveyed that he would work to further strengthen bilateral relations.