During the celebration of the 14th Japan-EU Symposium on Employment and Social Issues, both sides highlighted the continued impacts on the labour markets resulting from the economic crisis, and the need to continue their efforts to addressing longer term challenges.

In the margins of the 14th Japan-EU Symposium on Employment and Social issues, Ms Yoko Komiyama, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, and Mr László Andor, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, met in Tokyo and issued a joint statement which includes references to the common challenges, commonality in employment and social policies, and reconfirmation of the value of mutual learning. In May 2011, the 20th EU-Japan Summit reaffirmed the close partnership between the European Union and Japan as like-minded and major economies.

Mr László Andor, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, highlighted that if we want to shape global recommendations, we need (the EU and Japan) to work even more closely together upstream, so we can send the same messages and work to attain the same objectives in those bodies. He also added that by pooling common efforts, we can achieve our goal and give the young people the opportunity to fulfil themselves.

Both sides confirmed at the Symposium, their common vision as regards approaches and measures in the fields of employment and social policies, while recognizing the need to tailor policies to national circumstances. In addition to this, the EU and Japan reaffirmed the importance of mutual learning between Japan and the European Union on employment and social issues as like-minded partners with shared values and common challenges, and renewed their willingness to further deepen the relationship for mutual learning among policy makers and social partners.