Highlighting JAPAN

JAPAN-MEXICO RELATIONS

Mexican Waves

In 2009 and 2010, Japanese and Mexicans have been celebrating the 400th anniversary of the first official contact between their two nations. The Japan Journal’s Alex Hendy asked Mexican Ambassador to Japan Miguel Ruiz-Cabanas about the nature of Japan-Mexico relations today.

Ambassador of Mexico to Japan Miguel Ruiz-Cabanas
Credit: TADASHI AIZAWA

You took up the post of ambassador to Japan in July 2004…

At the time, Mexico was negotiating an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan. It was an exciting thing to do—to come and finish up that negotiation and complete the EPA. I really believe this is a fantastic country. You can do a lot if you have the enthusiasm and really try to find out how to develop relations. It is not uncommon for a Mexican ambassador to stay in Japan for more than five years. The reason is that to have a productive relationship with Japan, you have to spend time here. You have to move around the country. The Japanese sometimes feel their country is small, but it is not. Every town, every city, every prefecture is like a country in itself.

What impact has the EPA had on Mexico-Japan relations?

In the last ten years we have developed a strong relationship in the economic trade area. In 2008 trade between the two countries reached 20 billion dollars. Japanese investment in Mexico has increased. Large Japanese companies have had a presence in Mexico for the last twenty years at least, but many midsize companies are now moving in. More recently we have seen interest from Japanese companies in Mexican infrastructure projects. Since the EPA came into force in 2005, Mexico and Japan have had expanded and very institutionalized economic relations.

And on the diplomatic front?

In the political area, Mexico and Japan now have, perhaps for the first time, a significant political dialogue. This year, for example, there has been a lot of cooperation on the issue of climate change. This is an important area for us, especially because Mexico will host COP 16 [of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change] at the end of this year. Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs Patricia Espinosa Cantellano has visited Japan three times in 2010 already, most recently in July for talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs Katsuya Okada and Minister of the Environment Sakihito Ozawa, as well as with representatives of Japan’s private sector. Mexico believes that to have more chance of reaching an agreement than in previous COPs [Conferences of the Parties to the Framework Convention] we need private sector participation.

So the environment is a key area of cooperation…

Japan is a highly developed economy and Mexico is an emerging economy, so we don’t always have the same targets, but we do have a lot of coincidences. Mexico likes very much the efforts made by Japan in promoting a transition to a green economy. President Calderón is very keen on promoting international relations to protect the environment and prevent climate change. We have seen in Mexico the consequences of climate change in terms of inundations and rains and droughts. President Calderón [47] belongs to a younger generation of leaders, and I believe he is truly committed to resolving these issues.

What are some of the other key issues for Mexico and Japan?

When President Calderón came to Japan in February, we signed a document called the Global Alliance, which means that we are cooperating within the G20, within APEC, within regional international fora in promoting cooperation on global issues such as human rights, human security, climate change and so on. In terms of bilateral relations, we are promoting trade and investment obviously, as well as science and technology cooperation. Last year, for example, we hosted a seminar for scientists at the University of Tokyo and the National Institute of Genomic Medicine in Mexico. There is, in fact, a lot of educational exchange between Mexico and Japan, with seventy-three bilateral agreements in place between our universities. At least 4,000 Japanese have learned Spanish in Mexico, and from Mexico more than 100 Mexican students come to Japan every year.

What kinds of events have been held to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the first Mexico-Japan encounter?

In Mexico, the Embassy of Japan has organized many events, such as inviting a kabuki troupe and the Takarazuka Revue [an all-female theater group]. They even held a Japanese parade along one of the main avenues in Mexico City. In Japan, we have organized more than seventy events, including concerts, exhibitions and conferences. For example, beginning at the end of July [at Kyoto Museum] and continuing through 2011 [around Japan] is the exhibition “Olmeca: The Most Ancient Civilization of the Americas.” It is something remarkable.