Key facts
- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will meet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
- Takaichi plans to request preferential EU treatment for Japanese electric vehicles.
- Japanese vehicles are expected to miss out on favorable status within the EU.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi intends to request favorable European Union treatment for Japanese electric vehicles when she meets with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Tokyo on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. The meeting comes as Japanese-made electric vehicles are poised to be excluded from preferential status within the EU. Takaichi has previously discussed cooperation and trade concerns with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, including issues related to EU tariff measures on Japanese steel products and the Industrial Accelerator Act.