Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos concluded a working visit to Japan with a series of political, business and academic meetings, as Cyprus looks to broaden cooperation with Tokyo beyond traditional diplomatic ties.

The visit followed Kombos’ talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Monday, where the two sides focused on economic cooperation, maritime connectivity, shipping and higher education. 

According to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, the meeting lasted around 50 minutes, with Motegi describing Cyprus as an important partner sharing fundamental values with Japan. 

The Japanese minister also thanked Cyprus for its assistance in the evacuation of Japanese nationals from Lebanon in 2024, while the two ministers highlighted their common interests as maritime nations and the importance of maintaining the international maritime order. 

Economic and technological cooperation featured prominently, with Japan pointing to Cyprus’ growing presence in finance, information technology and shipping, as well as its position as an international business centre in the Mediterranean. 

The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in science and technology, including efforts to build a secure innovation ecosystem through a bilateral memorandum of cooperation and collaboration under Horizon Europe. 

Industrial cooperation was also discussed, including opportunities in shipbuilding. 

Meanwhile, the talks went beyond bilateral economic relations, covering developments in the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East. 

In particular, Kombos and Motegi discussed North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes, as well as the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea, while agreeing to continue coordination on regional challenges. 

During his stay in Tokyo, Kombos also met Seiichiro Murakami, acting chairman of the Japan-Cyprus Parliamentary Friendship Group, for discussions on bilateral relations and regional developments. 

Higher education was another part of the programme, with Kombos visiting Waseda University, where he met executive vice-president Professor Shuichi Furuya and Professor Masato Shizume of the School of Political Science and Economics. 

According to the Foreign Ministry, the discussions examined prospects for further cooperation between Cyprus and Japan in higher education. 

Business links were also on the agenda. 

Kombos attended a working lunch with representatives of business organisations, including the Greek and Cyprus Chamber of Commerce in Japan, the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan and the European Business Council in Japan. 

The contacts came as Cyprus seeks to build stronger commercial links with Japan alongside cooperation in shipping, technology, research and investment. 

Kombos also held further talks during a dinner hosted by Cyprus’ ambassador to Japan Yiannis Michaelides. 

The dinner was attended by Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Akiko Ikuina, Murakami, EU ambassador-designate Giorgio Aliberti and Ireland’s ambassador-designate Noel White. 

During the meeting, Ikuina referred to cooperation between Japan and the EU in maintaining a free and open international order based on the rule of law, while Kombos stressed Cyprus’ emphasis on international law and multilateralism. 

The minister also met members of the Cypriot community in Japan during his visit. 

On Tuesday, Kombos was also due to meet ambassadors of EU member states in Japan, according to the Foreign Ministry. 

The visit, the first by a Cypriot foreign minister to Japan in eight years, forms part of Nicosia’s wider effort to expand Cyprus-Japan relations across shipping, trade, technology, research and education.