JAPAN TODAY


 

PARIS - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed Tuesday to coordinate closely in addressing global economic, trade and environmental issues before Japan hosts a Group of 20 summit in June.

Abe also said during their summit talks that the auto alliance between Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co should be enhanced in a way acceptable to both sides. Nissan is widely seen as reluctant about a merger proposed by its French peer.

During a joint press appearance with Macron ahead of their talks, Abe promised that Japan will help France reconstruct Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral that was partially damaged by fire last week.

"It's heartbreaking to see the damage done to the World Heritage site which represents the history and culture in which France takes pride," Abe said. "The Japanese government will extend unwavering support for its restoration."

The two leaders confirmed cooperation in pushing for reforms at the World Trade Organization to fight protectionism and maintaining U.N. sanctions against North Korea to achieve Pyongyang's denuclearization, Japanese government officials said after the meeting.

Abe chose France, which holds this year's presidency of the Group of Seven industrialized nations, as the first stop on his six-nation European and North American trip.

He hopes to lay the foundation for a successful G20 summit in Osaka of the world's advanced and emerging nations as Japan aims to demonstrate joint efforts toward fostering economic growth, tackling marine plastic debris and drawing up rules for the use of big data.

"I hope that the G-20 will send out a strong message that we will be united" to promote free trade and tackle global issues such as climate change, Abe said.

Macron said he will visit Japan to attend the G20 summit on June 28 and 29, his first trip to the country since taking office.

"We have the shared ambition of rebuilding trust in international cooperation," said Macron, who is set to host the G7 summit in August.

Multilateral frameworks, including the WTO, have come under scrutiny as U.S. President Donald Trump has questioned their relevance by pursuing his "America First" agenda.

Japan and France have been deepening bilateral ties in recent years particularly in the field of maritime security amid China's growing clout.
Macron said France wants to explore more specific industrial and security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and agree on a new action plan to enhance bilateral relations over the next five years during his visit to Japan in June.

As France has island territories in the Pacific such as New Caledonia, Japanese government officials say Tokyo and Paris share the need to achieve a free and open Indo-Pacific region based on the freedom of navigation and the rule of law.

Abe and Macron met as Japanese investigators have detained Carlos Ghosn, a former boss of Renault and Nissan, following his arrest for alleged financial misconduct at the Japanese automaker. The auto alliance has launched new management after the removal of Ghosn.

"It's important to maintain a stable alliance and strengthen it in a way that's acceptable to the parties involved," Abe was quoted by a Japanese official as telling Macron.

A French government official said the two leaders agreed to respect the partnership between the companies.

Nissan has rejected Renault's fresh proposal earlier this month on their merger, which reflects the desire of the French government, Renault's biggest shareholder, sources familiar with the matter have said.

Renault, the largest stakeholder in Nissan, is seeking to further solidify their partnership. But some executive of Nissan, which has a 15 percent stake in the French peer without voting rights, view the partnership balance as unfair, the sources said.

Abe left for Rome on Tuesday afternoon.


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