Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Chilean President Gabriel Boric reiterated the importance of free trade during their meeting on Sunday. The meeting came at a time when both countries have been hit by tariffs imposed under US President Donald Trump.
During the meeting in the Japanese capital, Prime Minister Ishiba expressed his desire to deepen cooperation between Japan and Chile within the framework of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). As active members of the TPP, both countries share a common stance on the protection of free trade. The bilateral meeting also discussed strengthening cooperation in the mining industry, particularly in copper, an important raw material that Chile supplies to Japan. Ishiba expressed openness to mutually beneficial projects in this strategically important area of energy and industry. The leaders agreed to increase cooperation on disaster prevention and management in both countries, where natural disasters occur frequently. Combating natural disasters, especially earthquakes, is among the common challenges facing Japan and Chile.
