Romania’s Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca has held talks in Tokyo with the Japan-Romania Parliamentary Friendship League about promoting the bilateral relations between the two countries to a strategic partnership, according to Agerpres.

Ciuca and Speaker of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies Marcel Ciolacu on Monday met the Japan-Romania Parliamentary Friendship League led by chairman Ichiro Assawa as part of their visit to Japan.

Ciuca said that it is an honour for him to represent Romania at the state funeral organised in honour of late Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the first head of the Japan government to visit Romania and the to agree on starting the strategic partnership with Romania as he was welcomed by President Klaus Iohannis, on his historic visit of 2018.

He added that the conclusion of the strategic partnership between Romania and Japan is not only timely action, but also a legacy left by Abe in the province of foreign policy that reflects his remarkable vision in this area, bestowing on Romania a relevant role in this region. Moreover, both Romania and Japan share the same values and interest in defending the rules-based world.

„The security and defence component is one of the four co-operation pillars of our future partnership, of great interest to both sides. The close and permanent coordination between us is all the more important and necessary given the strategic challenges we are facing,” Ciuca is quoted as saying in a press statement released by the Romanian government.

Discussions also focused on economic co-operation, as Japan is the largest Asian investor in Romania.

Ciuca mentioned the determination of the Romanian government to boost the investment component, considering the encouraging dynamics of late in bilateral contacts and the opportunities offered by Romania in the areas of green energy, high-quality infrastructure and innovation, green hydrogen production, as well as transport infrastructure.

Chairman of the Japan-Romania Parliamentary Friendship League Ichiro Assawa welcomed Ciuca and announced his full support for building the strategic partnership between the two countries.

PM Ciuca and Speaker Ciolacu are in Japan from Monday to Wednesday, where they are participating in the state funeral in honour of late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Agerpres