Japan and the four Central and Eastern European countries of the Visegrad Group have agreed to strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies, Qazinform News Agency cites Jiji Press.
The agreement was reached Tuesday at a meeting near Bratislava attended by the foreign ministers of Japan, Slovakia, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi represented Tokyo.
The ministers agreed to promote cooperation between research institutions and companies from the five countries in cutting-edge fields, including artificial intelligence. They also stressed the importance of joint efforts to uphold a free and open international order based on the rule of law.
The meeting marked the first gathering of the foreign ministers of Japan and the Visegrad Four since May 2021, when they met in Poland.
Economic cooperation was also high on the agenda. The ministers agreed on the need to build more resilient supply chains and reduce excessive dependence on individual countries.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Motegi noted that more than 900 Japanese companies are currently operating across Slovakia, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. He said Japan would continue contributing to the economic development of the Central and Eastern European region.
Earlier, it was reported the United Nations General Assembly had adopted a resolution initiated by the Republic of Tajikistan, proclaiming 31 August, begining from 2027, as the International Day of Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence.