MAY 2, 2024
Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio delivered a speech at the Inclusive Forum on Carbon Mitigation Approaches Ministerial Dialogue co-hosted by the OECD and Japan, which chaired the 2024 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting.
On May 2, 2024, Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio delivered a keynote speech as chair at the opening ceremony of the Ministerial Council Meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris. He stated that Japan will serve as a bridge between the OECD and the Asian region and contribute to the OECD’s future leadership of the global economy, as the international community faces multipolarity, division, and conflict 60 years after Japan joined it.
It is my great honor to serve as Chair of the Ministerial Council Meeting on this landmark 60th anniversary of Japan's accession to the OECD.
In addition to the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine, we have witnessed new horrors in the Middle East since last year, and many other conflicts are occurring around the globe.
We are also confronted with the aggravated crises of climate change and a series of natural disasters.
These shifts are having a profound impact on the global economy. We are facing inflation, disruptions in energy and food supplies, and risks of fragmentation in global supply chains. We are now at a crossroads in putting the world back on a stable growth path.
At the same time, at this turning point in history, the changes of era and hardships we are experiencing are also opportunities to realize a more prosperous life. Today, I would like to address the importance of uniting under the spirit of 'Co-creating the Flow of Change' and overcoming the crises facing the international community.
A fundamental strength of the OECD lies in its human resource of over 2,000 economists and its extensive data and analytical capabilities which contribute to policy-making across nations.
In Japan, we are leveraging this expertise, including the “OECD Economic Survey of Japan” released this January, to transform initiatives to solve social challenges into new engines for growth.
Japan is advocating a New Form of Capitalism, transitioning from a cost-cutting to a growth-oriented economic model.
In alignment with OECD recommendations, Japan will advance its initiatives to increase productivity. Science and technology are the key to industrial structural transformation and the foundation to cultivate our future. We are bolstering support for new frontiers and innovation initiatives such as AI, autonomous driving, space, and overseas expansion of SMEs, as well as providing assistance to start-ups.
Japan attaches importance to promoting green transformation, aiming to simultaneously realize a stable energy supply, economic growth, and decarbonization. With this in mind, we will adopt the “Green Transformation National Strategy.” Under the “Asia Zero Emission Community” platform, we will advocate an energy transition model to the international community that achieves the common goal of net-zero through innovation and various pathways.
Like other OECD members, Japan faces the challenge of a declining population. We are committed to reversing this trend as well as removing employment barriers for women and the elderly in pursuit of sustainable growth.
Japan will continue to collaborate effectively with the OECD to shape better policies and create a significant flow of changes, together with member countries.
The Ministerial Council Meeting is a unique opportunity for countries with shared values to come together and discuss global and progressive issues.
We seek to deepen our discussions and reach a common understanding towards shaping a rules-based free and open international order. Japan will contribute to discussions drawing on its experiences and achievements as the holder of last year's G7 presidency.
Maintaining and expanding a rules-based, free and fair economic order, with the WTO at its core, remains on top of the international agenda. We need to discuss further the challenges facing free and open trade and investment, as well as sustainability and inclusivity in trade, both of which form the foundation of the international economic order.
In recent years, we also need to strengthen our cooperation to ensure economic resilience and economic security. The OECD can contribute to the members’ efforts by forming global standards through objective analyses and assessments. At this Ministerial Council Meeting, we will have a separate dedicated session to discuss economic resilience and economic security.
The climate crisis is a challenge common to all humankind that cannot be postponed. We must address issues concerning climate change, biodiversity, and environmental pollution in an integrated manner. As we pursue the transformation towards net-zero, circular, and nature-positive economies, let us advance discussions to foster synergies among these efforts.
The OECD's data and analytical capabilities on Official Development Assistance (ODA), along with the promotion of OECD standards, are crucial to attract private investment and address the development financing needs of developing countries.
Digital technology is one of the areas where the OECD can leverage its strengths the most, and we expect the OECD to continue playing a central role moving forward. The OECD has also been at the forefront of international discussions on AI, including the development of AI principles. Building on the outcomes of the Hiroshima AI Process, we will advance discussions towards achieving safe, secure, and trustworthy AI.
I have just announced the establishment of the Hiroshima AI Process Friends Group. Let us collaborate as nations united by a common purpose to address the universal opportunities and risks brought about by AI, and work towards achieving safe, secure, and trustworthy AI. We will also make steady progress on operationalizing Data Free Flow with Trust (DFFT), which forms the foundation of these efforts.
Prime Minister Kishida receiving greetings from Secretary-General Mathias Cormann of OECD.
A commemorative photo by OECD officials.
Sixty years ago, Japan became the first Asian country to join the OECD, marking a significant step in re-engaging with the international community.
Sixty years later, as the international community has undergone significant changes, facing multipolarity, division and conflict, and as uncertainty and opacity have increased, the OECD needs to change too. It has become increasingly important for the OECD, which shares common values, to extend its outreach to non-member countries around the world.
Rather than imposing values, it is essential for the OECD to act as a companion in growth and development. This should be done by embracing the concept of 'co-creation' and closely aligning with the needs of others.
From this perspective, we welcome countries from Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia that are joining hands with the OECD on the road to accession.
We are pleased with the positive developments in establishing a framework for cooperation between Africa and the OECD.
This year, we have seen historic developments, including the adoption of accession roadmaps for Argentina and Indonesia, and Thailand's application for membership. Strengthening ties with increasingly important regions represents the future direction for the OECD.
As one of the few Asian members, Japan will continue to act as a bridge between the OECD and the Asian region, contributing to the OECD's continued leadership in the global economy.
