On November 20 Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met Takao Makino, the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Greeting the guest Minister Nalbandian stressed that Armenia will further the efforts towards expanding, deepening and elevating the cooperation with Japan onto a new level. Edward Nalbandian stated that the official visit of the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan to Japan last year, meetings and reached arrangements gave a new impetus to the Armenian-Japanese relations.

Thanking for the reception Takao Makino expressed hope that the cooperation established through joint efforts will have further development. He recalled with gratitude that during his official visit last year which took place just after the earthquake in Japan, President Serzh Sargsyan also visited the disaster zone. The Vice-Minister also appreciated the support of Armenia to the Japanese people after the earthquake and the liturgy served by the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II in the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator. Takao Makino described this as an expression of true friendship.

Edward Nalbandian stressed that after the opening of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Tokyo the bilateral cooperation in several areas has expanded, consultations between two Foreign Ministries have periodical nature and there is an established respective platform for deepening the partnership. The Foreign Minister of Armenia underlined the importance of the initiative of the MFA of Japan to open an embassy in Yerevan.

During the conversation collaboration in the framework of international organization as well as bilateral, inter-parliamentary, trade, economic, cultural and educational cooperation were discussed.

By the request of the guest Minister Nalbandian touched upon the efforts of Armenia and international community towards the resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh issue. In this context Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan expressed the support of his country to the steps for an exceptionally peaceful resolution of the conflict.