President Alain Berset to travel to Japan for bilateral talks and to attend a health conference
Bern, 06.04.2018 - President Alain Berset will pay an official visit to Japan next week where talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are scheduled for Thursday, 12 April. The president and head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) will also be attending the Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety in Tokyo on Saturday, 14 April.
The official talks between President Berset and Prime Minister Abe are expected to cover bilateral relations including economic policy and international issues.
In addition, a meeting is planned with health, labour and welfare minister, Katsunobu Kato, the host of the 3rd Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety. The aim of the series of summits launched in London in 2016 is to raise awareness for patient safety at all levels of the health sector and in health policy. On the fringes of the Tokyo summit, the themes of which will include patient safety in an ageing society, Mr Berset will meet with counterparts from other countries.
The programme includes a number of events which underline the close economic and cultural ties between Switzerland and Japan. Relations between the two countries are excellent in all respects and have been for many years. In 2014 Switzerland and Japan celebrated the 150th anniversary of official bilateral relations. Japan is Switzerland's second largest trade partner in Asia and a free trade agreement has been in force since 2009. Japan is also a priority country for bilateral research cooperation.
Address for enquiries
FDHA Information Service
058 462 85 79, media@gs-edi.admin.ch
Publisher
General Secretariat FDHA
http://www.edi.admin.ch
