Foreign ministers from Japan and four Central European nations agreed Tuesday to deepen collaboration on artificial intelligence and resilient supply chains. The pact emerged from talks near Bratislava, signaling a stronger technological alliance between Asia and the Visegrad Group.
The meeting brought together Japan’s Toshimitsu Motegi with his counterparts from Slovakia, Poland, Czechia, and Hungary. It marked their first formal gathering since May 2021, when the group convened in Poland.
A core focus centered on connecting research institutions and private companies across the five countries. The ministers specifically identified cutting-edge domains such as AI as priorities for joint development. They also reaffirmed a shared commitment to preserving a rules-based international order rooted in legal principles.
On the economic front, participants underscored the need for supply chains that can withstand disruptions. Reducing overdependence on any single nation ranked high among their objectives.
Motegi highlighted the scale of Japanese business presence in the region during a joint press conference. Over 900 Japanese firms currently operate across the four Central and Eastern European countries. He pledged that Tokyo would maintain its role in advancing regional economic growth.
Meanwhile, the United Nations General Assembly recently adopted a separate resolution put forward by Tajikistan. That measure establishes August 31 as the International Day of Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence, beginning in 2027.
The Bratislava agreement positions Japan to expand its technological footprint in Europe at a moment when supply chain security dominates global trade discussions. Future joint projects between Japanese and Visegrad research bodies could accelerate AI development across both regions.
