EU-JAPAN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT (SPA)
WHAT IS THE SPA?
The SPA, which provisionally entered into force on 1 February 2019, is a comprehensive
agreement between the European Union (EU), its Member States and Japan basedon shared values and guiding principles such as democracy, the rule of law, humanrights and fundamental freedom.

THE SPAIS UNIQUE
BECAUSE IT:

legally
IsIsaalegallybinding agreementagreement
binding

Promotes global
standards and values

Provides a legal foundation
for bilateral cooperation

It has far-reaching impact on relations between the EU, its Member
States and Japan.

Cooperation Areas
1. Democracy, the rule of law, humanrights and fundamental freedoms
2. Promotion of peace and security
3. Crisis management
4. Non-proliferation of weaponsof mass destruction

12. Economic and financial policy

28. Maritime affairs

13. Science, technology
and innovation

29. Employment and social affairs

14. Transport (aviation, maritimeand railway sectors)

30. Health

15. Outer space

5. Transferring control of conventional
weapons, including small arms

16. Industrial affairs

6. Promoting the investigation andprosecution of serious crimes

18. Taxation

7. Counter terrorism
8. Chemical, biological, radiologicaland nuclear risk mitigation
9. International and regional
cooperation and reform ofthe United Nations

17. Customs
19. Tourism
20. Information society

31. Judicial affairs
32. Combating corruption andorganised crime
33. Combating money launderingand financing of terrorism
34. Combating illicit drugs

21. Consumer policy

35. Cyber issues

22. Environment

36. Passengers’ name records

23. Climate change

37. Migration

24. Urban policy

10. Development policy

25. Energy

11. Disaster management
and humanitarian action

26. Agriculture
27. Fisheries

38. Personal data protection
39. Youth education and sport
40. Culture

Priority Areas The Japan-EU SPA is a comprehensive political framework agreement with four priority areas:
Peace and Security
As like-minded global partners, the EU and Japan have ashared commitment towards achieving peace, prosperity andhuman security. They are resolved to work closely to address
global challenges that include crisis situations, disarmament,
terrorism, cyber issues, maritime affairs and judicial cooperation.
Environment and Energy
The SPA puts the EU and Japan in the forefront of environmental protection. The EU and Japan must take the lead incombating climate change and its adverse effects, working
in close coordination in international organisations working inenergy, sustainable agriculture, forestry and fishery resources.

Support Facility for the Implementation of the EU-Japan Strategic Partnership Agreement

New Technologies and Innovation
The shaping of the digital future is one of the most important
issues in the EU and Japan. The SPA consequently contains
relevant articles about the shared interest in enhancing cooperation on science, technology and innovation, including outer space.
The SPA contains clear references to key issues in electroniccommunications, including internet governance and online safety.
Social Affairs and People-to-People Exchanges
Japan and the EU will work together on challenges in areas suchas urbanisation, employment, migration and health, including
those arising from demographic dynamics and pandemics.
A variety of exchanges in culture, tourism, higher education,
youth and sports will also be promoted and enhanced.

SUPPORT FACILITY FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EU-JAPAN SPA
The EU launched the Support Facility in 2019 to contribute to the effective
implementation of the SPA, including strengthened cooperation in selected
policy areas of EU-Japan mutual interest.
The project aims to enhance awareness, understanding and transparency of
the EU-Japan SPA amongst stakeholders and the general public, to support
the EU-Japan policy dialogues, to promote the participation of a wide variety
of stakeholders, and to align legislative and policy approaches in areas ofmutual interest, including by implementing joint EU-Japan initiatives.

Completed Projects
Under the SPA, the EU and Japan have already collaborated on several projects in a varietyof areas, bringing together stakeholders and experts with an aim towards strengthening
bilateral ties, bolstering innovation and informing future policies. These include:
Connectivity Seminar to share connectivity initiatives andexamples of specific projects for collaboration between the EUand Japan in December 2022.

Literature review, gender stakeholder mapping, institutional
exchange and 3 thematic workshop to tackle the issue ofgender equality and women’s empowerment in Japan’s recovery
efforts from covid-19 in 2022-23.

Green Transition Seminars (Batteries, Plastic, Renewable energy,
Climate science) to provide an opportunity to debate European
environmental and climate change policies with the broader
stakeholders in Japan in April 2023.

4 workshops, including a side event of G7 Summit, to enhancebilateral cooperation in the area of Sexual and Reproductive
Health and Rights in 2022-23.

Science, Innovation & Digital (SID) Seminars to disseminate
information on the EU’s and Japan’s activities under Mission
Innovation; and to present policy developments and concrete
actions related to the development of Solar Energy technologies
in July 2023

HOW IT WORKS AND
HOW TO GET INVOLVED

Seminar to mark 75th anniversary since the adoption of theUniversal Declaration of Human Rights in December 2023.

The initiatives to be promoted are usually identified in the contextof High-Level Sector Dialogues and EU-Japan bilateral talks,
which take place on a regular basis. The activities are a responseto the priorities and mutual interests of the EU and Japan, andthey involve both the EU Directorates General and their Japanesecounterparts in a proactive way.
The SPA aims to involve a broad spectrum of stakeholders. Publicentities, private businesses, civil society organisations and academics
with connections to EU–Japan relations are encouraged to participate
in the activities and propose new potential initiatives aligned withthe priorities and shared interests of the EU and Japan.

Useful Information• EU-Japan SPA (legal text, EU languages): eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/SPA• EU-Japan SPA (legal text, Japanese/English): mofa.go.jp/Japan-EU SPA• Delegation of the European Union to Japan: eeas.europa.eu/delegations/japan• Mission of Japan to the European Union: eu.emb-japan.go.jp• European Parliamentary Research Service: Japan: epthinktank.eu/tag/japan• EEAS: EU-Japan Relations: eeas.europa.eu/The European Union relations with Japan• MOFA: EU-Japan Relations: mofa.go.jp/Japan-EU Relations

Delegation of the European Union to Japan
Europa House, 4-6-28 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0047, Japan
Tel. 81(0)3-5422-6001 | Fax. 81(0)3-5420-5544
Support Facility for the Implementation of the EU-Japan Strategic Partnership Agreement