Rabat: The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Motegi Toshimitsu, held talks via video conference on Friday, marked by a spirit of trust and friendship.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, these high-level exchanges, held within the framework of the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Japan, made it possible to reaffirm the solidity of bilateral ties driven by the mutual esteem between His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, and His Imperial Highness Emperor Naruhito of Japan. They also bear witness to a common ambition: to make the Rabat-Tokyo axis a pillar of stability and growth, capable of responding to the global challenges of the 21st century with agility and solidarity.
Marking this historic anniversary, the two ministers proceeded to sign a Joint Communiqu©, which constitutes the operational roadmap for the implementation of the “Memorandum of Cooperation for an Enhanced Partnership” signed in Tokyo in 2024. This Communiqu© enshrines the desire of the two countries to institutionalize their strategic dialogue by holding regular political consultations, aimed at strengthening coordination between the two ministries.
Bourita and Toshimitsu thus expressed their firm determination to intensify high-level exchanges in order to maintain a dynamic of constant consultation, and also committed to promoting cooperation in various fields through the Morocco-Japan Joint Committee. This new qualitative leap in Moroccan-Japanese relations makes it possible to structure bilateral priorities around robust, diversified, and multidimensional cooperation covering a wide range of areas.
In parallel, special attention will be paid to promoting cultural cooperation and facilitating “people-to-people” exchanges, in order to bring the peoples of the two countries closer together. In terms of development cooperation, the two ministers explored opportunities for triangular cooperation between Morocco, Japan, and partner African countries, while committing to maintaining a steady pace of high-level visits to ensure the follow-up of these projects.
To celebrate this jubilee, and with the approach of the 2026 World Cup, in which Morocco and Japan will take part, the two ministers proceeded with a symbolic exchange of their respective national football teams’ jerseys, printed with the number 70. On this occasion, Toshimitsu congratulated Morocco on the co-organization of the 2030 World Cup and expressed his best wishes for the success of this event, which could increase investment opportunities in Morocco for Japanese companies.