Spajić meets with Japanese Prime Minister: Visa-free travel to Japan from autumn

Japanese Prime Minister: We are fascinated by your work—this is the first time a conversation with a foreign official has been conducted in Japanese

Visa requirements between Montenegro and Japan will be lifted starting this autumn, as agreed during a meeting between Prime Minister of Montenegro Milojko Spajić and Prime Minister of Japan Shigeru Ishiba held today in Tokyo.

Prime Minister Spajić is paying an official working visit to Japan, where he was received with the highest state honours. During his meeting with Prime Minister Ishiba, the two leaders discussed the enhancement of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Both sides agreed that the visit marks the beginning of a new phase in Montenegro–Japan relations—one that will shape the future trajectory of a strong and enduring partnership.

This is the first time in our history that a conversation with a foreign official has been conducted in Japanese. I have read your thesis and am truly impressed by your insights—even though it was written more than a decade ago. Rest assured, Montenegro now has a sincere friend and supporter of your vision for the development and progress of Montenegrin society here in Japan, said Prime Minister Ishiba.

The meeting also focused on strengthening economic cooperation. Prime Minister Spajić presented Montenegro’s investment potential, particularly in the fields of energy, green technologies, infrastructure, tourism, environmental protection, and high technology.

We have worked diligently over the past year and a half to prepare for launching major infrastructure projects. The next few years will be crucial for Montenegro’s development, and I am confident they will be marked by significant reform momentum and infrastructure expansion that will strengthen our economy and improve citizens’ quality of life, said Prime Minister Spajić.

In that spirit, both sides acknowledged the vast potential for cooperation with Japan, which is also reflected in the strong interest shown in Montenegro at EXPO 2025 in Osaka. The decision to lift visa requirements, set to take effect this autumn, is seen as a significant step toward closer ties.

Another key topic discussed was the opening of the Montenegrin Embassy in Tokyo. The two prime ministers agreed to accelerate activities toward this goal, with concrete steps expected by the end of the year.

They also emphasized the need to intensify cooperation in education, science, and innovation, as well as in disaster risk reduction.

Security issues were also on the agenda, with both sides underlining the importance of the growing cooperation between Japan and NATO. In this context, the two countries reaffirmed their strong support for Ukraine, expressing hope that, with the intervention of American and European allies, a temporary ceasefire and eventual peace can be achieved.

To mark the occasion, Prime Minister Ishiba hosted a working luncheon in honour of Prime Minister Spajić. Attendees included Minister of Education, Science and Innovation Anđela Jakšić Stojanović, Minister of Finance Novica Vuković, and Director of the Investment Agency of Montenegro Snežana Đurović.