The first diplomatic relations between Japan and Brazil was established in November 1895 with the signing of the Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation. Immigration from Japan to Brazil commenced with voyage of the Kasato Maru in 1908. In October 1998, the population of Japanese descent in Brazil is estimated to be 1.3 billion. In December 1998, there are 222,217 number of Japanese-Brazilian working in Japan.
In 1988, Prince Fumihito of Japan visited Brazil and participated in the eightieth anniversary commemoration of Japanese migration in Brazil. Former Prime Minister of Japan Noboru Takeshita visited Brazil in 1990 as a special envoy to the presidential inauguration. Noboru Takeshita again went to Brazil in 1992 along with another former Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu and attended the UN Conference on Environment and Development. In 1994, Japan’s Foreign Minister Yohei Kono visited Brazil. In 1995, Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party Vice-President Keizo Obuchi attended Brazil’s presidential inauguration as special envoy. Moreover, in November, Princess Sayako attended the centennial ceremony of Japan-Brazil relations in Brazil. In August 1996, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto makes an official visit to Brazil. Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan visited Brazil in May-June 1997. In July, the same year Labour Minister Yutaka Okano also visited Japan. In June 1998, Japan’s Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi visited Brazil. In November, the same year Kenji Manabe, a State Minister and Director General of Environment Agency too, visited Japan. Junichiro Koizumi undertook the second visit of Japan’s sitting Prime Minister to Brazil in September 2004. During the above visits important agreement were signed by the two countries aiming to carry forward their bilateral relations.
Dignitaries from Brazil too, visited Japan for different purposes and reasons. In 1989, President Jose Sarney of Brazil attended the funeral of the Showa emperor. In the following year Japan’s imperial accession ceremonies was attended by Brazilian President Fernando Collor de Mello and Foreign Minister Francisco Rezek. In 1991 and 1992, Brazil’s Economic Minister Mareilio Marques attended the conference of eminent persons held in Tokyo. In 1993, Foreign Minister Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Planning Minister Alexis Stepanenko paid an official visit to Japan. In May 1995, Brazil’s Foreign Minister Luiz Felipe Lampreia and Senator Jose Sarney attended the Inter Action Council held in Japan. In July, Finance Minister Pedro Malan visited Japan. And in November, the same year Brazil’s President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Vice-President Marco Maciel, Foreign Minister Luiz Felipe Lampreia and Agriculture Minister Jose Eduardo de Andrade Viera visited Japan again. In March 1996, a Brazilian delegation, which includes Industry and Commerce Minister, Dorothea Woerneck, Planning Minister Jose Serra and Communication Minister Sergio Motta visited Japan. Brazil Chamber of Deputies President Luiz Eduardo Magalhaes went to Japan in April. Moreover, in May 1997, Planning Minister Antonio Kandir visited Japan. In November 1997, Japan hosts Brazilian Social Security Minister Reihhold Stephans. In November 1998, Brazil’s Agriculture and Supply Minister Francisco Sergio Turra and Foreign Minister Luiz Felipe Lampreia visited Japan separately. Foreign Minister Celso Lafer visited Japan in May 2002. In response to Koizumi invitation, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil visited Japan in May 2005.
From 9 April to 13 April 2006, a Cabinet Mission from Brazil led by Foreign Minister, Celso Amorim visited Japan. The mission included Luiz Fernando Furlan, Minister of Development, Industry and Trade and Helio Costa, Minister of Communications. The key objective of the mission is to strengthen bilateral economic relations. Senior Japanese officials were consulted concerning with the issue of the adoption of digital TV system and export of ethanol to Japan. During their stay in Japan, the mission had talks separately with Taro Aso, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Toshihiro Nikai, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and Heizo Takenaka, Minister of Internal Affairs and communications and Minister of State for Privatisation of the Postal Services. They also paid a courtesy call to the Prime Minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi.
Professor Akiko Yamanaka, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs visited Brazil in September 2006. She attended the G-77 Minsiters’ Meeting on Science Technology in Angra dos Reis, on the outskirts of Rio De Janeiro. She spoke on Japan’s science, technology and international cooperation policies during the meeting. During this visit, views were also exchange on the development of Japan-Brazil economic relations with people involved in Japanese corporations that are located in the Manaus Free Zone. Views were also shared with Japanese immigrants and descendants in connection with 2008, the Japan-Brazil Year of Exchange (MoFA 2006).
Taro Aso, Japan Minister of Foreign Affairs visited Brazil in August 2007. Aso had talks with high government officials including Celso Amorim, Minister of Foreign Affairs. They exchange views on cooperation in international arena, joint efforts for the success of Japan-Brazil Year of Exchange in 2008, and revitalisation of strategic economic partneship. He also attended the Third Foreign Minister Meeting of the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC). In this meeting wide-ranging issues including ‘Trade and Investment,’ the main theme of the meeting were discussed.
In 1998, Japan imported a monetary value of $ 2,903 million from Brazil. These consists iron ore, metal products, steel, coffee, chicken, soybeans, etc. In the same year, Brazilian imports from Japan are estimated to be valued at $ 2,610 million. These consist of machinery and equipment, chemical products, metal products, etc. As on 31 December 1998, Japan direct investment in Brazil is a cumulative total of $ 8,704 million. Japan had given a loan of 287,431 million yen and grants of 131 million yen to Brazil by 1998. Both the countries had undertaken technical cooperation of 67,901 million yen. Japan technical cooperation with Brazil has been the highest in Latin America and the sixth ranking in the world.
In 1988, Prince Fumihito of Japan visited Brazil and participated in the eightieth anniversary commemoration of Japanese migration in Brazil. Former Prime Minister of Japan Noboru Takeshita visited Brazil in 1990 as a special envoy to the presidential inauguration. Noboru Takeshita again went to Brazil in 1992 along with another former Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu and attended the UN Conference on Environment and Development. In 1994, Japan’s Foreign Minister Yohei Kono visited Brazil. In 1995, Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party Vice-President Keizo Obuchi attended Brazil’s presidential inauguration as special envoy. Moreover, in November, Princess Sayako attended the centennial ceremony of Japan-Brazil relations in Brazil. In August 1996, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto makes an official visit to Brazil. Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan visited Brazil in May-June 1997. In July, the same year Labour Minister Yutaka Okano also visited Japan. In June 1998, Japan’s Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi visited Brazil. In November, the same year Kenji Manabe, a State Minister and Director General of Environment Agency too, visited Japan. Junichiro Koizumi undertook the second visit of Japan’s sitting Prime Minister to Brazil in September 2004. During the above visits important agreement were signed by the two countries aiming to carry forward their bilateral relations.
Dignitaries from Brazil too, visited Japan for different purposes and reasons. In 1989, President Jose Sarney of Brazil attended the funeral of the Showa emperor. In the following year Japan’s imperial accession ceremonies was attended by Brazilian President Fernando Collor de Mello and Foreign Minister Francisco Rezek. In 1991 and 1992, Brazil’s Economic Minister Mareilio Marques attended the conference of eminent persons held in Tokyo. In 1993, Foreign Minister Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Planning Minister Alexis Stepanenko paid an official visit to Japan. In May 1995, Brazil’s Foreign Minister Luiz Felipe Lampreia and Senator Jose Sarney attended the Inter Action Council held in Japan. In July, Finance Minister Pedro Malan visited Japan. And in November, the same year Brazil’s President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Vice-President Marco Maciel, Foreign Minister Luiz Felipe Lampreia and Agriculture Minister Jose Eduardo de Andrade Viera visited Japan again. In March 1996, a Brazilian delegation, which includes Industry and Commerce Minister, Dorothea Woerneck, Planning Minister Jose Serra and Communication Minister Sergio Motta visited Japan. Brazil Chamber of Deputies President Luiz Eduardo Magalhaes went to Japan in April. Moreover, in May 1997, Planning Minister Antonio Kandir visited Japan. In November 1997, Japan hosts Brazilian Social Security Minister Reihhold Stephans. In November 1998, Brazil’s Agriculture and Supply Minister Francisco Sergio Turra and Foreign Minister Luiz Felipe Lampreia visited Japan separately. Foreign Minister Celso Lafer visited Japan in May 2002. In response to Koizumi invitation, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil visited Japan in May 2005.
From 9 April to 13 April 2006, a Cabinet Mission from Brazil led by Foreign Minister, Celso Amorim visited Japan. The mission included Luiz Fernando Furlan, Minister of Development, Industry and Trade and Helio Costa, Minister of Communications. The key objective of the mission is to strengthen bilateral economic relations. Senior Japanese officials were consulted concerning with the issue of the adoption of digital TV system and export of ethanol to Japan. During their stay in Japan, the mission had talks separately with Taro Aso, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Toshihiro Nikai, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and Heizo Takenaka, Minister of Internal Affairs and communications and Minister of State for Privatisation of the Postal Services. They also paid a courtesy call to the Prime Minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi.
Professor Akiko Yamanaka, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs visited Brazil in September 2006. She attended the G-77 Minsiters’ Meeting on Science Technology in Angra dos Reis, on the outskirts of Rio De Janeiro. She spoke on Japan’s science, technology and international cooperation policies during the meeting. During this visit, views were also exchange on the development of Japan-Brazil economic relations with people involved in Japanese corporations that are located in the Manaus Free Zone. Views were also shared with Japanese immigrants and descendants in connection with 2008, the Japan-Brazil Year of Exchange (MoFA 2006).
Taro Aso, Japan Minister of Foreign Affairs visited Brazil in August 2007. Aso had talks with high government officials including Celso Amorim, Minister of Foreign Affairs. They exchange views on cooperation in international arena, joint efforts for the success of Japan-Brazil Year of Exchange in 2008, and revitalisation of strategic economic partneship. He also attended the Third Foreign Minister Meeting of the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC). In this meeting wide-ranging issues including ‘Trade and Investment,’ the main theme of the meeting were discussed.
In 1998, Japan imported a monetary value of $ 2,903 million from Brazil. These consists iron ore, metal products, steel, coffee, chicken, soybeans, etc. In the same year, Brazilian imports from Japan are estimated to be valued at $ 2,610 million. These consist of machinery and equipment, chemical products, metal products, etc. As on 31 December 1998, Japan direct investment in Brazil is a cumulative total of $ 8,704 million. Japan had given a loan of 287,431 million yen and grants of 131 million yen to Brazil by 1998. Both the countries had undertaken technical cooperation of 67,901 million yen. Japan technical cooperation with Brazil has been the highest in Latin America and the sixth ranking in the world.
