Tokyo

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and new European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have agreed to deepen relations between Japan and the European Union.

In telephone talks on Monday, Abe congratulated von der Leyen on assuming the top post at the executive organ of the EU on Sunday, and said that the EU is an important partner for Japan sharing fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

Touching on Japan’s policy of promoting high-quality infrastructure, Abe said that the country aims to work robustly in the field.

Von der Leyen, the first female chief of the European Commission, vowed to make efforts to further strengthen EU-Japan relations, including on the security front.

Abe sought the EU’s support for Japan’s efforts to resolve the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals decades ago. Von der Leyen showed her understanding.

Jiji Press