State Secretary Hido Biščević received the Japanese delegation, headed by the Japanese Foreign Affairs State Secretary, Keishiro Fukushima

Both sides said they were satisfied with highly developed relations, stressing the successful presentation of the Republic of Croatia at this year’s EXPO exhibition in Japan. Deputy Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović visited the exhibition in April, and President Stjepan Mesić is expected to visit Japan in September this year.

The reason why the Japanese delegation visited Croatia was to present the latest G-4 Draft Resolution on the U.N. Security Council Reform. The Japanese side stressed that a large number of countries, among them some of the European Union member countries, had already supported the G-4 reform draft, and that the African Union member countries were also expected to sponsor the presented Resolution. The G-4 group representatives would meet with the African Union member countries on July 17, 2005. State Secretary Hido Biščević stressed the Republic of Croatia supported the need to reform the United Nations, in order to adjust functioning of this organisation to the current situation and challenges of the world.