Japan and Germany launch economic security dialogue amid tech protection concerns
Japan and Germany have established their first bilateral Economic Security Consultations, meeting in Berlin on 21 November to address shared concerns over economic coercion and protection of critical technologies.
The framework, agreed upon by then-Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in July 2024, brings together key economic and security ministries from both nations to coordinate responses to emerging economic security challenges.
‘Both sides exchanged views on key issues related to economic security, including strengthening the resilience of supply chains, responding to non-market policies and practices and excess capacity resulting from them, addressing economic coercion, and the protection and promotion of critical and emerging technologies,’ according to a joint statement by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (‘METI’).
The Japanese delegation was co-chaired by METI and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with participation from the National Security Secretariat and Ministry of Finance. Germany’s representatives included the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Federal Foreign Office, Federal Chancellery, Interior Ministry and Finance Ministry.
The countries agreed to enhance cooperation through expertise sharing and other measures, though specific initiatives were not detailed in the initial announcement.
