On January 21, 2026, Mr. Akazawa Ryosei, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan and Mr. Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, and Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency of the European Commission held a bilateral meeting in the margins of the World Economic Forum held in Davos.
At the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their intention to advance cooperation in wide-ranging areas under the Japan-EU Competitiveness Alliance launched at the 30th Japan-EU Summit held on July 23, 2025.
Both sides reiterated the importance of ensuring that, whenever taken, export control measures are narrowly defined, non-discriminatory, and in line with international law and practice so as not to disrupt strategic supply chains, notably those of critical minerals. They reaffirmed their joint commitment to strengthening, diversifying and securing these supply chains, ultimately increasing supply chain resilience.
They also recognised the importance of criteria that take into account factors beyond price in demand-side initiatives, and committed to enhancing their cooperation with like-minded partners, including G7.
Additionally, they confirmed their cooperation in preparation for the WTO MC14 and beyond.