ホーコン・ノルウェー皇太子殿下の訪日：大使の視点

It is with great honor that we welcome His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon to Japan early June. This Royal visit symbolizes the more than 120 years of friendly relations between Japan and Norway as well as the traditional close relationship between the Imperial Family of Japan and the Royal Family of Norway.
 
Japan and Norway are strategic partners sharing fundamental values and principles such as freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. Such partnership between like-minded countries like us is more important than ever, since the world is undergoing the most significant structural change since the end of World War II, driven by shifts in the geopolitical situation.
 
After World War II, Japan has unwaveringly contributed to the peace and prosperity of the international community. Japan has consistently respected and adhered to international law, including the UN Charter, and has made utmost efforts to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law.
 
Norway has been consistently championing the importance of the rule of law in the international community, and has been strenuously pursuing peace and conflict resolution in many parts of the world, including Asia and the Middle East. And, of course, Oslo is a beacon of peace as the venue of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize.
 
Thus, Japan and Norway share a strong aspiration for peace, which is a solid bedrock of our partnership. As a free and open international order based on the rule of law is facing serious challenges today, our two countries need to work together even more to uphold this order. The stakes are very high especially for us, since we are both maritime nations benefiting from the rule of law at sea, including the freedom of navigation.
 
Let me move to overview where we are in the Japan-Norway strategic partnership.

Amid an increasingly challenging security environment, our political and security dialogue and cooperation have been making good progress. Japan and Norway share the view that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific is inseparable and oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion anywhere in the world. From this standpoint, Japan has announced and is implementing approximately $20 billion assistance to Ukraine and firmly supports the vigorous efforts by Ukraine, European countries, and the US toward a just and lasting peace. Japan is also strengthening partnership with NATO, thanks to the help of Norway.
 
We highly appreciate Norway’s growing interest and engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. In this connection, I would like to highlight the deployment of Norwegian frigate KNM Roald Amundsen to the Indo-Pacific last summer. The Norwegian frigate called at Tokyo and Yokosuka ports, and participated in joint exercises with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
 
In addition, defense material cooperation is developing. In March, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force received the first delivery of Joint Strike Missies, Norwegian-made stand-off missiles, which was an important milestone in our defense cooperation.

Japan and Norway have long developed very close economic ties built on common maritime traditions and excellence in science and technology.
 
Norwegian high-quality seafood is indispensable for Japanese consumers. Norwegian Atlantic Salmon, introduced as sushi topping in Japan in 1980’s, is very popular in Japan and globally. In addition, Japan has been the largest importer of delicious Norwegian mackerel.
 
Japan and Norway have a long history of close cooperation in both shipping and shipbuilding sectors. Our two countries have been working together at the IMO to establish net zero GHG emission framework in international shipping. Japan has provided various types of ships to Norwegian shipowners. Japanese industries have been continuously participating in Nor-shipping to showcase their next-generation technologies such as ammonia-fueled ships and autonomous ships.
 
Besides the above-mentioned traditional sectors, Japan and Norway have shown significant progress in business collaboration in green transition and Artificial Intelligence.
 
There have been steady investment and business cooperations  in offshore wind, battery, hydrogen and ammonia, and CCS (Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage) , among other things. For the Longship Project, a Norwegian-led world’s first full-scale CCS project, Japanese shipping companies provide liquified CO2 transport for Northern Lights JV.
 
In the field of AI, Japan and Norway are working together to achieve “trustworthy AI.” The Embassy of Japan and NHO co-hosted the third roundtable earlier this month with enthusiastic participation from academia, business, and government.

Japan and Norway have been closely working together in international fora on global issues, including climate change, ocean management, sustainable use of marine living resources, plastic pollution, to name a few.
 
We value the importance of maintaining and strengthening the free and fair rule-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, and have been cooperating on WTO reform.
 
Japan, as an observer state in the Arctic Council, promotes research and development, international cooperation and sustainable use of Arctic through scientific approach. Japan and Norway have maintained excellent cooperation in the Arctic, including research collaboration in Svalbard.
 
Japan admires Norway’s long-time commitment to contributing to a lasting solution to the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians. Japan and Norway have been working together in extending support for Palestine and bringing about a just, lasting and comprehensive peace based on a “two-state solution.”
 
The visit of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon, accompanied by high-level Government officials and prominent business people, is surely going to bring our strong partnership to new heights.