Head of State Rumen Radev and Prime Minister of Japan Shigeru Ishiba signed a Declaration establishing a strategic partnership between Bulgaria and Japan

The establishment of a strategic partnership between Bulgaria and Japan is an extremely important step in the history of our relations; it is a logical result of the sincere friendship, respect and trust between the Bulgarian and Japanese people, as well as of the increasingly intensive sectoral cooperation. This was stated by President Rumen Radev during a joint statement after a meeting in Tokyo with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, with whom the head of state signed a Declaration on the establishment of a strategic partnership between Bulgaria and Japan.

It is an honour for me to visit Japan, which is well known and respected in Bulgaria for its leading achievements in the economy, science and technology, with its unique and ancient culture and traditions, said Rumen Radev. Over the years, the effective partnership and traditional friendship between Bulgaria and Japan have been developing successfully, which is contributed to by both bilateral political dialogue and international cooperation, as well as in areas such as the economy, science, high technologies, education and culture.

The Head of State emphasised that the rise in the level of relations between Bulgaria and Japan is conditioned by the dynamics of their economic and technological development. The President highlighted the importance of the shared fundamental values between the two countries and a common commitment to being factors of stability in their regions and to continuing to work together to promote peace and security internationally.

In accordance with the text agreed between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and Japan, the Declaration of Strategic Partnership takes into account the common values shared by Bulgaria and Japan, such as the rule of law and the protection of human rights, the contemporary challenges facing the world and international security, and the aspiration of the two countries for the comprehensive development of traditional friendly relations.

The document covers four main areas of the strategic partnership between Bulgaria and Japan: political dialogue and in the field of security; promotion of economic cooperation and between business, scientific and development activities and innovations; partnership in the fields of culture, education and people-to -people contacts; global issues related to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the fight against climate change, the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and other topics on the international agenda.

If until recently Bulgaria was known in Japan mostly for its yogurt, the Rose Valley and strong sumo wrestlers, today the country offers us opportunities of mutual interest in the high-tech sectors of the future, President Rumen Radev emphasized in his speech. According to him, this development is also evident from Bulgaria's participation in the World Exhibition EXPO Osaka 2025. The Bulgarian pavilion welcomes thousands of visitors every day who have the opportunity to experience not only our rich history, culture and traditions, but also to see for themselves Bulgaria's successes in the field of high technology, artificial intelligence, information technology, space, education and science, the President pointed out and congratulated Japan for the successful hosting and excellent organization of the world event.