TOKYO: Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Tuesday released a statement welcoming the appointment of Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the World Trade Organization’s new head.

“Japan considers it very significant that the first female director-general from Africa is inaugurated as the head of this international organization which embodies diversity,” Motegi said.

Touching on Okonjo-Iweala’s career background including key posts such as the World Bank’s managing director, Motegi said Japan hopes that she will “address a myriad of challenges facing the WTO” in cooperation with the member nations using her deep expertise and experiences.

At a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said that Japan will support the new WTO leader and take an initiative in creating rules on digital economy, reforming the dispute settlement system and strengthening the multilateral trade system.

JIJI Press