INTERVIEW: EU Wants to Boost Economic Security Cooperation with Japan

Newsfrom Japan

Economy

Sep 13, 2025 16:26 (JST)

Brussels, Sept. 12 (Jiji Press)–European Commission Executive Vice President Stephane Sejourne expressed a desire to boost cooperation with Japan in the fields of economic security and industry, during an interview with the press on Friday, prior to his first visit to Japan since taking office.

He said that the European Union needs to cooperate with Japan as partners with shared values to tackle issues of China’s overproduction and U.S. President Donald Trump’s protectionist trade policies.

As priority areas for his visit to Japan, Sejourne cited critical minerals, electric vehicle batteries and biotechnology. He said he will be accompanied by EU company executives to explore opportunities of concrete business cooperation in these areas.

Regarding economic security, Sejourne said that the EU’s past energy policy of depending on Russian gas was a mistake. Dependence leads to weaknesses, he said.

Sejourne indicated a plan to promote the establishment of a mechanism for joint procurement and stockpiling of strategic materials within the EU, placing Japan as a model to follow given that the country is working to reduce its dependence on China for the procurement of rare earths needed for battery production.

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