Japan and Europe reaffirmed their cooperation Thursday toward the upcoming trade liberalization talks under the World Trade Organization slated to begin later this month in Seattle. During their meeting here, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and European Commissioner for Trade Pascal Lamy reaffirmed that Japan and the European Union will closely coordinate their policies toward the upcoming WTO talks, a Foreign Ministry official said.
Lamy arrived in Japan on Thursday on a two-day stay to exchange views with Japanese officials on the next WTO round as the EU prepares for the Seattle meeting Nov. 30 through Dec. 3.
Obuchi was quoted as telling Lamy that Japan and the EU share the position that the next WTO round should take up all issues and sectors in one undertaking. Lamy responded by saying that the purpose of his visit to Japan this time was to clarify that the EU and Japan have similar stances toward the upcoming negotiations, the official said.