Courtesy Call on Foreign Minister MOTEGI by Japan’s Members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC)

On October 26, commencing at 3:00 p.m. for approximately 20 minutes, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, received a courtesy call by Japan’s members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC-Japan members).

1. At the outset, on behalf of the ABAC-Japan members, Mr. IKEDA Junichiro (Corporate Adviser, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.) delivered the ABAC Report to APEC Economic Leaders 2026 to Minister MOTEGI. Mr. FURUSAWA Mitsuhiro (President, Institute for Global Financial Affairs, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation) and Mr. TAKAHASHI Taizo (Corporate Executive Officer, Fujitsu Ltd.) explained a wide range of policy recommendations from a business perspective including improving WTO’s functions, strengthening the resilience of supply chains and logistics, harnessing the advancement of AI and quantum technologies, and promoting interoperable and resilient digital currency and tokenized financial infrastructure.
2. Minister MOTEGI expressed his gratitude to the ABAC-Japan members for their contribution to compiling the Report. Minister MOTEGI stated that Japan would make the most use of these recommendations to advance its economic diplomacy through the APEC, including the APEC Ministerial Meeting and the APEC Leaders’ Meeting to be held in November.

(Reference) ABAC: APEC Business Advisory Council

1. ABAC, established in 1995, is the sole official advisory body of the private sector for the APEC Leaders' consultation. ABAC is comprised of up to three members from each of the 21 economies participating in APEC who are appointed by each economy’s leader.
2. ABAC is expected to provide advice from a business perspective to APEC leaders and ministers by delivering policy recommendations through the ABAC Report to APEC Economic Leaders towards the APEC Leader’s Summit.
3. The current ABAC-JAPAN Members are:
   Mr. IKEDA Junichiro, Corporate Adviser, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.
   Mr. FURUSAWA Mitsuhiro, President, Institute for Global Financial Affairs, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
   Mr. HIKIMA Toru (Alternate), Chief Sustainability Officer, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.
   Mr. TAKAHASHI Taizo (Alternate), Corporate Executive Officer, Fujitsu Ltd.