Merz to visit Japan, South Korea and Singapore with large business delegation

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) will travel to Japan, South Korea and Singapore next week, a government spokesperson said in Berlin on Friday, according to Reuters. The aim is even closer security and economic cooperation with the three countries. Merz will be accompanied by a high-level business delegation, mainly from industry, technology, defense and energy. According to the government, intergovernmental agreements and company deals are planned at every stop. No details of individual deals were given.

In Seoul, Merz is due to open the 19th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business on Friday next week. A visit to the demilitarized zone between South and North Korea is also planned. In Singapore, the chancellor will give a keynote speech on German policy in the Indo-Pacific. Topics include more resilient supply chains and cooperation on technology and artificial intelligence. With Japan, according to Reuters, the talks also cover technology and Japan's experience in securing critical raw materials; the country has significantly reduced its dependence on Chinese supplies such as rare earths. Merz also wants to attract investment to Germany, building on the investment summit held in Berlin earlier in the week.

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier travels to China the same week. According to the government, the two trips are independent of each other but coordinated in content. There was a similar pattern in 2022, when Steinmeier visited Japan and South Korea from October 31 to November 5 while then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to Beijing on November 4. According to Reuters, the presidential office said the chancellor was strengthening Germany's partnerships in the Indo-Pacific at a time of global upheaval.