Government to sign bilateral agreement with Kyoto, first of its kind between Catalonia and Japan

The Catalan government will sign a bilateral collaboration agreement with the Kyoto administration, the first of its kind between Catalonia and Japan.

The two territories reached this deal during a high-level meeting held in the Japanese region between Catalonia's foreign affairs minister, Meritxell Serret, the governor of Kyoto, Takatoshi Nishiwaki, and vice-governor, Akimasa Yamashita.

According to the Esquerra Republicana minister, collaboration between Catalonia and the Japanese prefecture will see a "turning point" when the Catalan government opens its delegation office in Japan, in Tokyo, forecast for the first half of next year. 

"The aim is to strengthen the alliances that we have been building in recent years in the areas of innovation, and emerging and disruptive technologies, in decarbonization, and in the commitment to green hydrogen," Serret said.

The minister also highlighted the opportunities in "commercial relations" in areas such as health, biotechnology, gastronomy and food.

Serret's institutional trip to Japan began this Friday and will last for four days.