Japan Defence Minister welcomed in Hanoi on official visit

The two ministers reviewed defence cooperation between Vietnam and Japan in recent times, including the fight against COVID-19, and exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

They stressed the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight in the face of complicated developments taking place in the region, and reaffirmed the necessity of complying with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

On bilateral ties, the two sides agreed they will direct their relevant agencies to coordinate closely to soon sign an MoU on cooperation in military medicine and cyber security. They will strengthen the exchange of high-level delegations, maintain defense policy dialogues and consultations, boost cooperation in personnel training, defense industry, as well as in overcoming war consequences and participating in UN peacekeeping missions.

The two sides will work closely together to effectively implement cooperation programmes in multilateral cooperation mechanisms, especially the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM+), as well as cybersecurity cooperation between Japan and ASEAN.

After the talks, Minister Phan Van Giang and Minister Kishi Nobuo witnessed the signing of an agreement on transfer of defense equipment and technology between Vietnam and Japan.

Minister Kishi Nobuo is paying an official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart General Phan Van Giang.

Vietnam is the first country Minister Kishi Nobuo has selected to visit after he took office in September 2020 under the Suga government.