TOKYO, April 18 -- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan issued the following news release:

On April 17, from 6:50 p.m. for approximately 30 minutes, Dr. KUNIMITSU Ayano, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, attended and delivered remarks at a reception hosted by the Embassy of Norway in Tokyo, which invited NATO Permanent Representatives and others visiting Japan. The overview is as follows:

State Minister KUNIMITSU welcomed the visit by NATO Permanent Representatives and others, while emphasizing that Japan and NATO and its member states share many things in common, including fundamental values, advanced market economies and trade relations, and outstanding cutting-edge science and technology, stated that Japan and NATO relations...