Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told his French and Italian counterparts on Monday that Japan is strongly concerned about European Union moves to exclude Japanese-built electric vehicles from preferential treatment, pressing them to fix it inside the bloc.
Motegi, visiting Paris, met French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in succession on the same day. He asked each to "respond appropriately within the EU," and the two sides agreed to keep coordinating closely.
The EU preference scheme is a countermeasure against cheap Chinese EVs that have spread across Europe. France and Germany have also agreed on a policy of excluding Japanese-made cars.
Motegi also met British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. The two agreed to push forward cooperation on security and economic security, including the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the joint fighter jet development project between Japan, Britain and Italy.