Germany and France jointly held a ceremony in Berlin on Jan. 22 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship or the Elysee Treaty, which laid the foundation for the two countries' historic reconciliation. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande attended a joint session of the two countries' parliaments. The treaty, which changed the relationship between the two countries from one of hostility and confrontation to one of mutual trust and cooperation, suggests a lesson for Japan, which faces history-related issues with its neighbors, especially China and the two Koreas.

The treaty was signed on Jan. 22, 1963, by French President Charles de Gaulle and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer. The 19-article treaty does not specifically mention peace or friendship. But it contains the mechanism that eventually led to reconciliation and cooperation between the two countries. It has thus helped them serve as the driving force for European integration, which has taken the form of the European Union.

The treaty spells out twice-a-year regular summits between the top leaders of the two countries and regular meetings between their foreign ministries every three months.