Japan-New Zealand Joint Leaders’ Statement
19th June, 2024
Bilateral Cooperation
1. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Prime Minister Rt Hon Christopher Luxon
held a productive and substantive meeting in Tokyo on 19 June 2024. Prime
Minister Kishida welcomed Prime Minister Luxon on his first official engagementin Japan.
2. More than 10 years have passed since the establishment of the Strategic
Cooperative Partnership between Japan and New Zealand, and the horizons ofcooperation between the two countries are wider than ever. The leadersemphasised the close and strong bilateral relations and expressed their ambition togive further impetus to the Strategic Cooperative Partnership, which is founded oncommon values and shared interests, including supporting democracy, the rule oflaw, human rights, human dignity, and gender equality, in order to contribute
together to regional and international peace and prosperity.
Security and Defence Cooperation
3. Recognising the National Security Strategy of Japan (issued in December 2022)
and New Zealand’s first National Security Strategy 2023-2028, the leaders shared
an awareness of the increasingly challenging strategic environment in the IndoPacific region and concurred to further strengthen their cooperative relationshipunder the Strategic Cooperative Partnership.
4. The leaders welcomed the strengthened security relationship between Japan andNew Zealand and affirmed their shared commitment to the further deepening ofcooperation and exchanges. They welcomed the agreement in principle of an
Information Security Agreement, which provides a framework for sharingclassified information. The leaders concurred to cooperate on further bilateral andplurilateral activities and exercises, including in the area of maritime security, andto accelerate discussions on a possible acquisition and cross servicing agreement.
Economic cooperation
5. Over the last 50 years, Japan and New Zealand have developed a strong
economic partnership, especially in relation to sustainable agriculture and food1

systems, based on natural complementarity and strong business relationships. The
leaders reaffirmed the importance of strengthening the partnership in food andagriculture, first articulated 10 years ago.
6. The leaders committed to enhancing cooperation in economic fields such as
renewable energy, including geothermal and green hydrogen. The leaders shared
an ambition to facilitate a business environment conducive to private sector
collaboration and investment on research and development, commercialization,and deployment of climate solutions.
7. The leaders welcomed the forthcoming launch of a jointly funded bilateralresearch programme, this year focused on disaster mitigation, response, andrecovery. The leaders also acknowledged Japan and New Zealand’s joint
participation in the e-ASIA multi-country research programme, working together
with partners mainly in South-East Asia. The leaders concurred on continuing
science, innovation, and technology collaboration, including future iterations ofthe SICORP programme.
8. The leaders also welcomed the growing space industry connections, including
collaboration on launching satellites.
People-to-people Exchanges
9. The leaders acknowledged the role people-to-people exchanges play indeveloping the future stewards of the Japan-New Zealand relationship. In thisregard, they recognised the importance of exchange programs between thecountries, including the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme. They
also recognised the important role that the 44 sister city partnerships between theirlocal municipalities have played in strengthening bilateral relations over the past
50 years. This is the largest number of sister city partnerships that New Zealandcities have with overseas cities.
Regional Cooperation
10. Amid growing challenges to the fundamental values and principles shared by
Japan and New Zealand and their like-minded partners in the region and beyond,the leaders reiterated their shared commitment to realise a free and open IndoPacific based on the rule of law, to ensure that the region remains inclusive, stable2

and prosperous, and free from foreign interference and coercion, and that the rights,
freedoms and sovereignty of all countries, regardless of their size or power, areprotected. They emphasised the importance of upholding the free and open
international order based on the rule of law as well as international law, including
the principles of the United Nations Charter, in particular the prohibition of thethreat or use of force. They also expressed strong opposition to any unilateralattempts to change the status quo by force or coercion anywhere in the world.
11. The leaders renewed Japan and New Zealand’s commitment to strongly supportthe peace, prosperity, stability and unity of the Pacific region and strengthen
existing regional architecture and organisations. They also committed to further
solidify the vision of the February 2023 Joint Declaration on Cooperation in thePacific Islands Region and the June 2023 Statement of Intent on Pacific Defence
Cooperation towards advancing Pacific priorities. They welcomed and reaffirmed
the close cooperation between the two countries to support progress towards thevision outlined in the Pacific Islands Forum’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific
Continent, including through the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) process.
The leaders welcomed cooperation with all partners that shared objectives basedon the region’s priorities.
12. The leaders reaffirmed freedom of navigation and overflight, and other lawful
uses of the seas in accordance with international law as reflected in the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They reiterated theimportance of resolving disputes by peaceful means in accordance withinternational law, without resorting to the threat or use of force.
13. The leaders expressed serious concerns over recent developments in the South
China Sea and an intensification of destabilising activities, including the continued
militarisation of disputed features; unsafe and unprofessional behaviour at sea andin the air; and other dangerous actions by coast guard and maritime militia. The
leaders opposed any unilateral actions that could escalate tensions and undermine
regional stability and the international rules-based order, emphasised theobligation of all states to adhere to international law, and reiterated that all claims
to maritime zones must be consistent with the relevant provisions of UNCLOS.
They further emphasised the importance of the peaceful settlement of disputes inaccordance with international law. They reiterated that the 2016 South China Sea
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Arbitral Award is final and binding on the parties to those proceedings, and called
on both parties to abide by the ruling.
14. The leaders expressed serious concerns about the situation in the East China
Sea. They shared an intention to remain in close communication and expressedstrong opposition to any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by
force or coercion and increase tensions in the area.
15. The leaders restated the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan
Strait and called for peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.
16. The leaders strongly condemned North Korea’s development of nuclear
weapons and ballistic missiles. They urged North Korea to cease provocative
actions, and to fully comply with all of its obligations under the relevant UN
Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. They also reiterated their commitment toachieving North Korea’s complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement of
all weapons of mass destruction, and ballistic missiles of all ranges in accordancewith UNSC resolutions and called on North Korea to take concrete actions towardthat goal. They condemned North Korea’s malicious cyber activities that fund its
unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. They alsocondemned in the strongest possible terms the increasing military cooperation
between North Korea and Russia, including North Korea’s export and Russia’sprocurement of North Korean ballistic missiles in violation of UNSC resolutions,as well as Russia’s use of these missiles against Ukraine.
17. The leaders condemned the recent veto of the UNSC resolution renewing themandate of the panel of experts on North Korea. The leaders reaffirmed theircommitment to fully implementing and enforcing the UNSC resolutions, including
addressing North Korea’s sanction evading tactics such as “ship-to-ship transfers,”
and shared the importance of further international collaboration for this goal. Prime
Minister Kishida welcomed New Zealand's continued engagement in monitoringand surveillance activities against such illicit maritime activities, including therecent deployment of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s P-8A Poseidon in Japan,
and New Zealand’s announcement of further intended deployments this year,including naval assets for the first time. Prime Minister Luxon expressed
understanding and strong support for Japan in its efforts to immediately resolve4the abductions issue.
18. The leaders reaffirmed the importance of their enhanced partnership with
ASEAN to realize a free, open, inclusive, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. They
reiterated their strong support for ASEAN unity and centrality and their full
support for the “ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific” (AOIP), which upholds
principles such as the rule of law, openness, freedom, transparency, andinclusiveness.
19. The leaders emphasised the importance of close communication with partnercountries, including Australia and the Republic of Korea, to maintain peace andstability in the Indo-Pacific. From this perspective, they welcomed the opportunity
to work together to progress collaboration under the “Indo-Pacific 4” format.
Global Cooperation
20. The leaders noted the strong working relationship between Japan and New
Zealand on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-PacificPartnership (CPTPP). They welcomed the future expansion of the CPTPP, based
upon the consensus of the CPTPP member countries, to include economies that areable to fully meet, implement and adhere to its high standards and have ademonstrated pattern of complying with trade commitments. They alsoemphasised the importance of working with other CPTPP member countries touphold the high standards of the CPTPP, ensuring the Agreement benefits our twoeconomies, and to contribute to the stability and prosperity of the region and theworld. They recognised the strategic significance of the CPTPP and reaffirmed its
importance in promoting free and fair trade, and open and competitive markets,including as a tool to counter economic coercion and unfair trade practices.
21. The leaders reaffirmed that Japan and New Zealand are both committed toambitious implementation of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity(IPEF) Supply Chain Agreement, Clean Economy Agreement, and Fair Economy
Agreement, and recognised the value of collaborating through IPEF Collaborative
Work Programmes on areas of mutual interest.
22. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining and strengthening a
free, fair, and rules-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade5

Organization at its core and to work towards necessary reform of all its functions,including having a fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system accessible
to all Members by 2024 building on the progress already made. The twocountries will promote their efforts to intensify discussions in the WTO oncontemporary trade-related issues such as trade and industrial policy, trade andsustainability, and trade and inclusion. The leaders commit to working towards theprompt conclusion of negotiations of the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on Ecommerce. The leaders will cooperate to support the incorporation of theInvestment Facilitation for Development Agreement into the legal framework ofthe WTO.
23. The leaders concurred on enhancing cooperation on economic resilience andeconomic security including in addressing economic coercion, non-market policies
and practices, and other harmful practices that create strategic dependencies andsystemic vulnerabilities. The leaders are committed to working together to enhance
resilient and reliable supply chains, especially for strategic goods and materials,
based on the principles of transparency, diversification, security, sustainability, andtrustworthiness, and reliability. The leaders concurred on enhancing bilateraldialogues on economic security through various meeting opportunities.
24. The leaders reaffirmed their unwavering determination to support democratic
Ukraine as it defends its democratic freedom, sovereignty, independence, andterritorial integrity. They called on Russia to abide by its international obligations
and immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its militaryforces and equipment from the internationally recognised territory of Ukraine. In
this context, the leaders reaffirmed that threats by Russia of nuclear weapons use,
let alone any use of nuclear weapons by Russia, in the context of its war ofaggression against Ukraine are inadmissible. The leaders concurred on theimportance of continuing to remind third countries of their duty to upholdinternational law and in no way to validate or condone Russia’s attempts to acquire
territory by force, in violation of the basic tenets of the UN Charter. The leaders
reaffirmed their commitment to continuing to raise the costs for the architects ofRussia’s illegal and unjustified aggression by applying economic and financial
sanctions, which target strategic and economic sectors of significance, as well as
Russia’s elite.

625. The leaders expressed deep concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
They highlighted the urgent need for a ceasefire, release of hostages, and relieving
the humanitarian crisis. The leaders reiterated calls for the parties to the conflict toact in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law.
26. The leaders noted that both Japan and New Zealand recently joined 141 othernations in voting in favour of the Resolution of 10 May 2024 enhancing Palestine’s
participation in the UN General Assembly. The leaders recognized that thisresolution was a positive step towards an eventual two-state solution, which Japan
and New Zealand have long supported. The leaders concurred that a durable andjust solution to the conflict can only be achieved where Israel and a future
independent Palestinian state live side by side in peace and security.
27. The leaders stressed the importance of early reform of the UNSC, including
expanding its membership, reaffirming the need to further enhance the legitimacy,effectiveness, and representativeness of the UNSC to better reflect the realities andchallenges of the international community in the twenty first century. They
reaffirmed the importance of an expanded, democratic, equitable, transparent, andaccountable UNSC.
28. Recognising the increasing threats to the information environment, the leadersconcurred on the importance of cooperation in strategic communication to ensurea fact-based and resilient information environment and to address foreign
information manipulation and interference including dissemination ofdisinformation.
29. The leaders committed to continued cooperation to combat transnationalorganised crime. They recognised that enhanced collaboration and intelligencesharing between customs and other law enforcement agencies enable bothcountries to respond to these risks and more effectively protect their communities
from harm.
30. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris Agreement andimplementing the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake. The leaders welcomed
the continued cooperation between Japan and New Zealand in support of peace,science, and environmental protection in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, and7emphasised that the Antarctic Treaty System provides an effective and enduring
international governance framework for Antarctica.
31 The leaders emphasised the importance of maintaining and strengthening theTreaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as the cornerstone of
the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Reaffirming
the obligations of all States Parties under the NPT, including Article VI of theTreaty, the leaders reiterated that considerable work remains to be done to advancenuclear disarmament and that global nuclear arsenals must continue to decline. Inview of the tense international security environment, the leaders stressed that the78-year record of non-use of nuclear weapons must be maintained, recognising thecatastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons. They
reaffirmed their commitment to promoting and pursuing the entry into force of theComprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) without further delay and theearly commencement of the negotiations on a treaty banning the production offissile material for use in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.
Bilateral Consultations32. The leaders looked forward to meeting again, and shared the expectation thatthe two countries will strengthen bilateral cooperation and coordination throughmore frequent consultation at all levels, considering the complex strategic
environment in the region and beyond.

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