New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern visits Japan. Reunites with Kiwi Brothers

New Zealand and Japan

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visited Japan for the second time since 2019 on April 20th.

This is Prime Minister Ardern's first overseas visit since the spread of the new coronavirus infection, and she is coming to Japan after a two-day stay in Singapore. Her stay in Japan is scheduled to be four days.

A trip to Australia and Europe planned for last year was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this visit went ahead as scheduled without any problems.

70th anniversary of diplomatic relations

The year 2022 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and New Zealand. Japan is New Zealand's fourth largest trading partner in the world.

This visit to Japan is one of the New Zealand government's efforts under the "Trade Recovery Strategy" to accelerate economic activity that has been stagnant due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Ardern is also accompanied by 13 business leaders representing New Zealand in various fields, including food and beverage, dairy, tourism, and energy.

On the first day of her visit to Japan, Prime Minister Ardern attended a Zespri event celebrating the start of kiwifruit sales this season, as well as a Toyota event for hydrogen cars, which are expected to be introduced into ride-sharing and car-hailing services in New Zealand.

Minister for Trade and Export Promotion Damien O'Connor, who visited Japan with Prime Minister Ardern, was also seen test driving a hydrogen car.

Negotiations to begin on information protection agreement

On April 21, Prime Minister Ardern met with Prime Minister Kishida for the first time. The two had never even spoken on the phone.

They agreed to continue economic sanctions against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, and to begin negotiations to terminate the intelligence sharing agreement aimed at strengthening security and defense.

The two countries also expressed strong concerns about China's proposed security pact with the Solomon Islands, announced on April 19, and pledged to cooperate toward a "free and open Indo-Pacific." Prime Minister Ardern said:

The termination of the information security agreement with Japan is important to achieving peace and security in the Pacific and Indo-Pacific regions.
He commented,

"Stolen" by the Kiwi Brothers

With Prime Minister Ardern's visit to Japan, Zespri's hugely popular mascots, the Kiwi Brothers, have already been making waves in the media and on social media around the world.
Giant dancing kiwifruit steals the show at Ardern Toyko event
A video of the Kiwi Brothers dancing to "Kojo no Tsuki" has become a hot topic for being too surreal. This includes New Zealand

This is the video I want to see at the Prime Minister's regular press conference


LOL, what is this


Why are you dancing to such sad music?
"When Prime Minister Ardern visited Japan in 2019, she met the Kiwi brothers, and a photo of them holding hands became a hot topic.
Jacinda Ardern met the Kiwi brothers in Japan! Posted by Japanese Studies Aotearoa New Zealand on Thursday, September 19, 2019

"I'm just glad I don't have to hold hands with my Kiwi brothers this time," Ardern said. He commented jokingly.

The Prime Minister was also forced to try his hand at calligraphy, and burst out laughing, asking, "Can you really read this as kiwi fruit?"

At the event, Minister for Trade and Export Promotion O'Connor also made a strong appeal for kiwifruit, including decorating a cake with kiwifruit, saying "I just wanted to use as much kiwifruit as possible."

The Kiwi brothers were also delighted with the grand celebration.

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この記事の筆者

石黒
石黒 沙弥
高校・大学時代を過ごしたNZを故郷と愛する。購入するワインは100%NZで、常備しているのはSILENIのソーヴィニヨン・ブラン。マーマイト大好き。歴代彼氏の半分以上がKiwi。

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