TNAG-1302-FCO40-1658-Visits-by-Richard-Luce--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1984 — Page 19

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CONFIDENTIAL

MR LUCE S VISIT TO JAPAN: CALL ON MINISTER FOR FOREIGN

124

M.. Jan.

AFFAIRS, MR ABE, 1430-1450 HOURS, TUESDAY 9 OCTOBER 1984 Ngati

Present:

7 NOV 1984

Minister of State

ard

Sir S Giffard

Mr B Hitch

Mr H Warren-Gash

Mr K Darroch

r Shintaro Abe

(Minister for Foreign Affairs)

Mr Takehiko Nishiyama

(Director-General, European &

Oceanic Affairs Bureau)

Mr Toshiyuki Takano

(Private Secretary to the Foreign Minister)

Mr Itaru Umezu

(Director, Second West Europe Division)

смачн

1.

to

After opening courtesies, Mr Abe noted that UK-Japan bilateral

relations were growing in strength and depth. He welcomed this

trend, which had been much encouraged by Mr Nakasone's visit

the UK. There had been improvements in both enonomic and political

relations between the two countries. The 2000 Group was an

important initiative and its establishment would further strengthen

relations. The Japanese Government was particularly grateful to

the British Government and to the Royal Family for the welcome

that had been given to Prince Hiro.

2.

Mr Luce said that it had been a great pleasure and privilege

for the UK to have Prince Hiro study at Oxford. He shared Mr Abe's

perceptions about the growth in UK-Japan relations and about the

significance of the 2000 Group. He understood that the 2000 Group's

first meeting was planned for February and he hoped it would go

ahead.

3. Mr Luce said that he had been impressed by Mr Nakasone's

Alastair Buchan Memorial Lecture in London in June; indeed he had

quoted extracts from it during his own speech to the Japan

Institute of International Affairs, Mr Nakasone's lecture had

contained many points of considerable significance and he hoped

that the text had been widely read in the UK. Had Mr Abe seen

the Secretary of State in New York?

CONFIDENTIAL

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