Foreign minister Velislava Petrova met Japan's ambassador to Bulgaria, Chikahisa Sumi, to discuss widening ties between the two countries and deepening the strategic partnership between Sofia and Tokyo, the foreign ministry said.

They named trade and the economy, investment, energy, tourism, science and technology, and education and culture as key areas. They also discussed boosting exchanges for students and young people through programmes that let young people from each country get to know the other.

Petrova praised joint work by the Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology (INSAIT) and Japan's national research agency RIKEN, which work together on robotics, machine learning and computer vision — all fields within artificial intelligence.

"Business and research are moving faster than governments," the minister said.

The two also discussed why connectivity matters in today's geopolitical climate. "Connectivity means turning things into real projects and partnerships, and that's where Bulgaria is putting its efforts," Petrova said. She said Bulgaria should seize new opportunities as they come up and back projects with strong potential.

Ambassador Sumi also met caretaker innovation and growth minister Irena Mladenova in early March, when they discussed deeper cooperation on investment, innovation and high technology.