"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] Video Message by Prime Minister Kishida at the Global Gateway Forum hosted by the European Commission

[Place]
[Date] October 26, 2023
[Source] Cabinet Public Affairs Office, Cabinet Secretariat
[Notes] Provisional translation
[Full text]

Ms. von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Distinguished guests,

I am KISHIDA Fumio, Prime Minister of Japan. I would like to express my sincere congratulations on the inauguration of the Global Gateway Forum today. May I also place on record my respect for Ursula's leadership in hosting this Summit.

On the sidelines of the G7 Hiroshima Summit this year, together with Ursula I hosted a side-event on the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII).

On that occasion we declared our vision of working together with partner countries through　infrastructure investment to promote clean energy, to build climate resilient societies, to strengthen supply chains, and to realise a society which leaves no one behind by connecting people with digital technology and transport infrastructure. We also declared our determination to ensure that these investments would be carried out in a transparent and fair manner and would contribute to the sustainable development of our partner countries.

In order to have the G7 PGII bear fruit and to realise high quality infrastructure investment, the mobilisation of private finance in collaboration with various actors is essential. Therefore, Japan invited the private sector to the PGII event at the G7 Hiroshima Summit for the first time, where we confirmed our commitment to work together.

The EU's ‘Global Gateway' is an initiative to actively mobilise private investment for sustainable development across the world and is making an important contribution to the G7 PGII.

As the world stands at an inflection point in history, Japan and the EU are strategic partners who uphold the free and open international order based on the rule of law and are addressing jointly various challenges facing the international community. As reaffirmed at the Japan-EU Summit in July this year during my visit to Brussels, Japan will continue to work closely with the EU in this area, based on "the Partnership on Sustainable Connectivity and Quality Infrastructure between Japan and the EU".

Thank you very much.