Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

Minister for Trade, Industry and Energy Dukgeun Ahn of the Republic of Korea held a bilateral meeting with Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Muto Yoji on March 30 in Seoul in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the two countries’ normalization of diplomatic relations and on the margins of the 13th Korea-Japan-China Economic and Trade Ministers’ Meeting. A first in nine months since the Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral convened in June 2024 in Washington D.C., the Korea-Japan trade and industry ministers’ meeting reciprocates the previous bilateral talks that took place in April 2024 in Tokyo.

During the meeting, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) of Korea and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan highly appraised the two countries’ active intergovernmental and private-sector dialogue in supply chains, advanced industries, and new energy areas like hydrogen, and agreed to further cooperation to gain tangible outcomes in view of this year marking the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations.

The two sides shared views and response measures with regard to the rapidly changing global trade landscape, agreeing to leverage both bilateral and multilateral (Korea-U.S.-Japan, Korea-Japan-China) platforms to share information and seek measures on issues requiring joint response. 

Both sides will also be making joint effort towards Korea and Japan’s successful hosting of upcoming major international events including the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 (April–October 2025) and the opening ceremony of the Korea Pavilion (April 13, Osaka) and Korea Day (May 13, Osaka), as well as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Trade Ministerial (Jeju Island) and Energy Ministerial (Busan) meetings and the APEC CEO Summit.