Japanese and German politicians, policy experts, business leaders, and journalists gathered in Tokyo to discuss key issues for Japan, Germany, and their bilateral relationship. The event kicked off with a reception hosted by Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Shinichi Nakatani. This was followed by two days of meetings covering the challenges for developing resilient democracies, how to tackle growing authoritarianism around the world, and the possibility of Japan-German business cooperation on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. On the evening of December 5, the German participants of the forum paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.