page_title: Germany–Japan relations
section_title: Rebuilding relations and new common interests
hierarchical_section_title: Germany–Japan relations / History / Post-WWII developments / Rebuilding relations and new common interests
caption_attribution_description: English: Guido Westerwelle, Foreign minister of Germany, had a conversation with Takeaki Matsumoto, his Japanese counterpart, in Tokyo. Deutsch: Außenminister Westerwelle und Matsumoto und ihre Delegationen. 日本語: 松本剛明外務大臣とギド・ヴェスターヴェレ・ドイツ連邦共和国外相との会見
context_page_description: The relations between Germany and Japan were officially established in 1861 with the first ambassadorial visit to Japan from Prussia. Japan modernized rapidly after the Meiji Restoration of 1867, often using German models through intense intellectual and cultural exchange. After 1900 Japan aligned itself with Britain, and Germany and Japan were enemies in World War I. Japan declared war on the German Empire in 1914 and seized key German possessions in China and the Pacific.
  In the 1930s, both countries adopted aggressive militaristic attitudes toward their respective regions. This led to a rapprochement and, eventually, a political and military alliance that included Italy: the "Axis". During World War II, however, the alliance was limited by the great distances between the Axis powers; for the most part, Japan and Germany fought separate wars, and eventually surrendered separately.
  After the Second World War, the economies of both nations experienced rapid recoveries; bilateral relations, now focused on economic issues, were soon re-established.
context_section_description: After their defeat in World War II, both Japan and Germany were occupied. Japan regained its sovereignty with the Treaty of San Francisco in 1952 and joined the United Nations in 1956. Germany was split into two states. It was agreed in 1951 to take up diplomatic relations between Japan and the Federal Republic of (West Germany) again. The bilateral diplomatic ties between West Germany and Japan were fully restored in 1955; between East Germany and Japan in 1973, the year both German states became UN-members.
  Beginning in the 1950s, Japanese companies sought to acquire needed raw materials like steel and chemical products in the German Ruhr region, with a small Japanese business community in Düsseldorf. In 1974, West Germany and Japan signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in science and technology, re-intensifying joint scientific endeavours and technological exchange. The accord resulted in numerous projects, generally focused on marine research and geosciences, life sciences and environmental research. Additionally, youth exchange programs were launched, including a "Youth Summit" held annually since 1974.
  German-Japanese political dealings were enlarged with both countries taking part in the creation of the so-called Group of Six, or simply "G6", together with the US, the UK, France and Italy in 1975 as a response to the 1973 oil crisis. The G6 was soon expanded by Canada and later Russia, with G6-, G7-, and later G8-, summits being held annually since then.
  Over the following years, institutions, such as in 1985 the "Japanese–German Center" (JDZB) in Berlin and in 1988 the German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ) in Tokyo, were founded to further contribute to the academic and scientific exchange between Japan and Germany.
  Around the mid-1980s, German and Japanese representatives decided to rebuild the old Japanese embassy in Berlin from 1938. Its remains had remained unused after the building was largely destroyed during World War II. In addition to the original complex, several changes and additions were made until 2000, like moving the main entrance to the Hiroshima Street, which was named in honour of the Japanese city, and the creation of a traditional Japanese Garden.
  Post-war relations between Japan and both Germanies, as well as with unified Germany since 1990, have generally focused on economic and business questions. Germany, dedicated to free trade, continues to be Japan's largest trading partner within Europe. This general posture is also reflected in the so-called "7 pillars of cooperation" agreed on by Foreign Minister of Japan Yōhei Kōno and Foreign Minister of Germany Joschka Fischer on 30 October 2000:
  Pillar 1: Contribution for peace and stability of the international community
  Pillar 2: Consolidation of economic and trade relationships, under benefit of globalization impulses.
  Pillar 3: Contribution for a solution of global problems and social duties and responsibilities.
  Pillar 4: Contribution for the stability in the regions (Korean Peninsula, People's Republic of China, former Yugoslavia, Russia, South Asia, new independent states, Middle East and Gulf region, Middle and South America, East Timor, Africa)
  Pillar 5: Further constitution of faithful political relations between Japan and Germany
  Pillar 6: Promotion of economic relations
  Pillar 7: Promotion of mutual understanding and the cultural relations
  In 2000, bilateral cultural exchange culminated in the "Japan in Germany" year, which was then followed by the "Germany in Japan" year in 2005/2006. Also in 2005, the annual German Film Festival in Tokyo was brought into being.
  In 2004, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi agreed upon cooperations in the assistance for reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, the promotion of economic exchange activities, youth and sports exchanges as well as exchanges and cooperation in science, technology and academic fields.
caption: Meeting of German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeaki Matsumoto in Tokyo after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
exif: {}