"Japan is a Partner on Whom We can Rely”
“Japan is of great importance to me and to our country,” said Federal President Steinmeier at a reception hosted by the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Tokyo
June 26th, 2025
When a Federal President visits a country four times, then you can probably assume that there is a special relationship – as well as a particularly high level of interest. Japan is of great importance to me and to our country – and that’s not a recent development. We can look back on 160 years of German-Japanese relations, even a few years more. Germany and Japan: two countries which are far apart in terms of geography and have a very different history – and yet which are so close. Close when it comes to their values, their outlook on the world, as well as their respect for the law, freedom and responsibility.
I didn’t have to become Federal President to recognise what an extraordinary and important country Japan is. My own fascination began a bit earlier – it clicked at the latest sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s. That was when I held a Walkman in my hands for the very first time. For the younger people among us today: that was, so to speak, the great-grandfather of all mobile devices, including the smartphone – with fewer functions but, in my view, a lot more magic. At the time, the Walkman was almost revolutionary because suddenly everyone could listen to their own music through headphones while they were out and about. You simply had to put in the batteries, insert a cassette and press play – and the music began. And, as far as I remember, I could even listen to FM radio on my first Walkman. Later came the CD player, then the MP3 player, before the “computer in mobile phone format” arrived. For young people in the 1970s, the Walkman was more than just a technological advance, it felt like modernity and the future. And so for many of my generation, Japan quite unobtrusively became a natural part of our daily lives. And also part of our vision of the future and progress. Of course, the great-grandfather Walkman was simply representative of a Japanese economy driven by cutting-edge technology, from automobile manufacturing to electronics, mechanical engineering and shipbuilding. And, of course, it was also simply representative of companies that are just as well-known in Europe as here in Japan.
Today, many years later, my view of Japan has of course changed – or perhaps I should say: expanded. I was here for the first time in 2006, and since then – first of all as Foreign Minister and later as Federal President – I’ve got around a bit. I have got to know a country which is aware of its own history, lives by its values and shoulders its responsibility in the world. And I have met people – in politics, in science, in culture and civil society – with whom we share a strong foundation: our commitment to freedom, democracy and rules-based cooperation in order to preserve and defend peace, international law and stability.
Especially at a time when the world seems to be out of joint, when violence, crude power politics and distrust are taking hold, this connection between Germany and Japan is more important than ever.
Our exchange is especially significant at present in the sphere of foreign and security policy. After all, we have understood that security in Europe and security in Asia are inextricably interlinked. We greatly appreciate Japan’s support for Ukraine. And Germany will continue to be present in the Indo-Pacific. Japan is a partner on whom we can rely – in foreign and security policy as well as in economic cooperation or issues that will define our future such as energy, cyber security, technological innovations and space. Japan continues to set a great example for us to follow in many of these fields. In short, there is still much potential for deeper cooperation. For that reason, I’m delighted to be here this evening with a delegation made up of representatives from the world of politics, as well as the business, science and culture communities. We want to learn from each other and – even in times of crises and conflicts – continue to think ahead together.
Let me tell you a secret: what has always particularly impressed me about Japan when I have visited in the last years is something that is not so easy to put into political categories. It’s a feeling, perhaps a philosophy. A view of the world which is not completely identical to our own. A Japanese expression which is difficult to translate: "mono no aware". It describes the quiet melancholy we feel when we experience a beautiful moment – knowing that it will pass. Cherry blossom is a symbol of this: it blooms, it enchants – and then it fades. And that is precisely what makes it so precious.
I find that a bittersweet but also very comforting thought. It teaches us to recognise and appreciate the beauty of the moment, because it does exist even in politically challenging times. Moments such as this get-together this evening, for example. But I don’t want to go on talking in an endless loop. I want to leave space for encounters and conversation – and maybe even a little bit of "mono no aware". The Walkman could not carry on indefinitely either. When the tape came to an end, it simply went click and then it was time to change sides.
And so the time has come for me to change sides, too – I’m looking forward to mingling with you now.
