Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his EU counterparts agreed Thursday to cooperate in realizing a "free and open" Indo-Pacific and ensuring economic and energy security while taking strong steps against Russia to stop its war in Ukraine.
In a joint press appearance after their meeting in Tokyo, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the 27-member bloc wants to take a more "active" role in a region that is thriving and also "a theater of tensions," in a veiled reference to the rise of an assertive China. Von der Leyen also noted the threat posed by North Korea, which has repeatedly tested ballistic missiles in recent months.
In the in-person meeting also involving European Council President Charles Michel, the leaders also affirmed their policy of imposing strong sanctions on Russia.