Japan and Germany, WWII War Criminal Nations, Hold First '2+2 Talks' to "Check China's Hegemony"

Yomiuri Shimbun "April 16 Likely"
Attendance of Foreign and Defense Ministers from Various Countries

▲Motegi Toshimitsu, Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] According to a report by Yomiuri Shimbun on the 5th, Japan and Germany are scheduled to hold a 2+2 meeting in mid-April online, attended by each country's foreign and defense ministers.

The newspaper, citing multiple anonymous sources, stated, "This will be the first 2+2 meeting between the two countries," and added, "In the context of China's increasingly hardline stance, discussions are expected to focus on a 'free and open Indo-Pacific.'

Although the exact date has not been finalized, Yomiuri reported that April 16 is the most likely.

From the Japanese side, Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu and Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo will attend, while from the German side, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer will participate.

Germany has been strengthening its engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, including establishing a new foreign policy strategy called the 'Indo-Pacific Guidelines' last September. Japan plans to further promote this movement within the EU by strengthening relations with Germany, a key EU country.

Germany plans to dispatch a frigate to the Indo-Pacific region this summer. The German escort ship, expected to set sail for Asia in August, will be the first German warship to transit the South China Sea since 2002.

The two countries are enhancing cooperation in the security sector, including signing the 'German Information Protection Agreement' in March to collaborate on exchanging classified information related to security.

During this meeting, they are also expected to exchange views on regional issues such as North Korea's nuclear and missile development, the abduction of Japanese citizens, and the Myanmar coup.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.