ISTANBUL

European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday reached Japan for a summit with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

The two EU leaders began their trip to Japan by visiting World Expo 2025 in Osaka, before meeting Ishiba in Tokyo on Wednesday.

During the summit, the sides are expected to announce upgrading ties to "Japan-EU Competitiveness Alliance," according to Kyodo News.

The EU and Japan will "continue to work together, standing up for the international rules-based order and free and fair trade," said Costa, in the wake of unilateral US tariffs under President Donald Trump.

"Japan is our closest partner in the Pacific," Costa added, mentioning potential collaboration on a trans-Pacific free trade agreement involving Japan, the UK, and 10 other nations.

On defense, Costa said the EU will enhance its security collaboration with Japan, given the "interlinked" nature of security in both the Pacific and Europe, particularly in light of Ukraine crisis and North Korean support for Moscow.

Following the summit in Tokyo, Costa and von der Leyen are scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday.

In 2024, the total trade in goods between the EU and Japan reached €130.7 billion (around $137.9 billion), according to the official EU data.