Ambassador Ishizuka Visit to Borjomi

On May 7, Ambassador Ishizuka Hideki visited Borjomi to participate  in a seminar organized by the Tbilisi School of Political Studies. During this event, Ambassador Ishizuka explained Japan's foreign policy and Japan-Georgia relations with the following key points:

・Post-war Japan's economic development is inseparable from democracy, the rule of law, a free and open international order, a free-market economy, and a stable Japan-U.S. alliance. These elements form the foundation of Japan's current "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" (FOIP) strategy.

・The Government of Japan maintains a passive defense strategy—exclusively defense-oriented—as its fundamental policy. Regarding the right of collective self-defense recognized under the UN Charter, Japan has defined the situations in which it can be exercised in a restrictive manner through domestic law. On the other hand, there is no change in Japan's stance of remaining committed to observing international law, including the UN Charter, and working to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law.

・The international community faces an era where cooperation is required more than ever. Japan opposes and distances itself from moves that continuously intensify unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. Japan will conduct diplomacy that leads the world toward harmony and cooperation from division and confrontation, collaborating with other countries to maintain and strengthen the international order based on values and principles such as freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law to create a peaceful and stable international environment. Furthermore, as a flag-bearer of free trade under the multilateral trading system, Japan has promoted a rules-based free and fair economic order. At the same time, Japan has cooperated with developing countries based on the principle of human security and worked toward the resolution of global issues, including the achievement of SDGs, through capacity building support such as the establishment of supply chains. 

・Within this framework, Japan and the EU are strategic partners in building an international order based on the rule of law, having concluded the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA). Additionally, Japan is a NATO’s partner across the globe, and both share the recognition that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific are inseparable.

・Japan supports Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and has consistently supported its economic and social development. The Ambassador believes that Georgia is an important partner for Japan in maintaining and strengthening a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law.