TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Japan, Singapore eye talks on defense equipment transfer deal

The agreement, expected at a summit on Saturday in Singapore, is part of Tokyo's drive to deepen security cooperation with Southeast Asian nations as China is bolstering its economic and military power in the Indo-Pacific region.

Kyodo News
Tokyo, Japan
Fri, June 10, 2022

Share This Article

Change Size

Japan, Singapore eye talks on defense equipment transfer deal Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (center) prepares to board his flight to Indonesia at Tokyo's Haneda International Airport on April 29, 2022. (AFP/Jiji Press)

T

he leaders of Japan and Singapore are expected to agree on the launch of negotiations to reach a deal on the transfer of defense equipment and technology, Japanese government sources said Thursday.

The agreement, expected at a summit on Saturday in Singapore, is part of Tokyo's drive to deepen security cooperation with Southeast Asian nations as China is bolstering its economic and military power in the Indo-Pacific region.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to visit Singapore from Friday to attend the Shangri-La security dialogue among defense officials and experts, and meet with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday.

Japan has signed similar agreements with 12 nations to export defense equipment and technology within the limits of the pacifist Constitution. They include longtime ally the United States, along with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.

For his part, Kishida hopes to use the upcoming summit to seek cooperation with Lee on realizing a "free and open" Indo-Pacific as the Japanese leader has expressed concern about the ramifications of the war in Ukraine for the region.

Kishida also seeks to reiterate opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East and South China seas, the sources said. Some members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are embroiled in territorial disputes in the South China Sea with Beijing.

Singapore is the only ASEAN member that has imposed sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, and Japan hopes to coordinate closely with it in responding to the crisis.

{

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.