Japan, Paraguay Leaders Reaffirm Cooperation; Hoping to Strengthen Free, Open Intl Order

By Yuta Abe / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

12:45 JST, May 4, 2024

ASUNCION — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Paraguayan President Santiago Pena reaffirmed their commitment to work together to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order at their summit on Friday.

At the meeting in Asuncion, they agreed over the situation in East Asia that attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force should not be tolerated.

Paraguay is the only country in South America to have diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

They also agreed to strengthen ties between Japan and Mercosur countries, a customs union comprising Paraguay, Brazil and others.