Abe, Merkel agree to speed up FTA, fight against terrorism

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday agreed here to speed up their efforts to forge a free trade agreement between Japan and the European Union, and vowed to improve their cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

The agreements were reached during the two leaders' talks here and they, in a joint press conference after their meeting, also urged Russia to play a constructive role in the current crisis in Ukraine through diplomatic and peaceful means.

Abe said the time is not ripe for Russia to rejoin the other seven countries to upgrade the Group of Seven (G7) to the Group of Eight, adding the seven countries should keep talks with Russia. Japan will take over the G7 presidency from Germany next year.

The two sides also agreed to coordinate with India and Brazil on the issue of UN Security Council reform.

Merkel is in her first visit to Japan in seven years. She started the two-day visit with a greeting by Honda's humanoid robot "Asimo" in the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation.

The German chancellor had an audience with Japan's Emperor Akihito at the Imperial Palace Monday afternoon. Enditem