Japan, Sri Lanka agree to enhance cooperation of defense forces
COLOMBO (Kyodo) -- Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Sri Lankan Deputy Defense Minister Aruna Jayasekara agreed Sunday to strengthen cooperation between their countries' defense forces to promote stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Nakatani's visit to Sri Lanka, the second by a Japanese defense minister, underscores the importance Japan places on ties with the island nation, which sits along key shipping lanes, amid China's growing economic and military influence in the region.
During the talks in Colombo, Nakatani expressed his "serious concerns over unilateral attempts to change the status quo," according to the Japanese Defense Ministry, with China's assertiveness in the East and South China seas apparently in mind.
Nakatani also said reinforcing the partnership between the two countries is essential for prosperity in the region amid "increasing uncertainty in the international situation."
The two countries are planning projects to deepen cooperation across all three branches of their defense forces, including inviting the Sri Lanka Army to observe disaster response exercises in Japan and collaborating on the development of air rescue and medical flight capabilities, according to the ministry.
Nakatani also met with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya the same day, agreeing on the importance of upholding a free and open maritime order and strengthening defense cooperation to help ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, the ministry said.
In 2018, Itsunori Onodera became the first Japanese defense minister to visit the Indian Ocean island, where China and India are vying for influence.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yomiuri Shimbun
44 minutes ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Akazawa Holds Telephone Talks with U.S. Commerce Secretary; Negotiations Continue Ahead of Japan-U.S. Summit
The Yomiuri Shimbun Ryosei Akazawa, minister in charge of economic revitalization, speaks to reporters in Washington on Friday. WASHINGTON — Ryosei Akazawa, minister in charge of economic revitalization, held telephone talks with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for about 30 minutes on Saturday. It was the second consecutive day that Akazawa, who was visiting the United States for negotiations over U.S. President Trump's tariff policy, spoke with Lutnick following an in-person meeting on Friday. The Japanese and U.S. governments intend to negotiate right up until the meeting between Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit to be held in Canada from Sunday to Tuesday. 'To realize an agreement that is beneficial for both Japan and the United States, [Akazawa] had a very deep discussion [with Lutnick] and searched for a way to reach a deal,' the Japanese government said about Saturday's phone call in a statement.
Kyodo News
an hour ago
- Kyodo News
Building in North Korea's Yongbyon possibly to house new centrifuges
KYODO NEWS - 13 minutes ago - 13:34 | World, All A building currently under construction at the Yongbyon nuclear complex in North Korea's northwest is possibly intended to accommodate an advanced type of centrifuge for uranium enrichment, according to a Japanese expert. Yuki Kobayashi, research fellow at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation in Tokyo who is well-versed in nuclear proliferation, recently told Kyodo News he cannot confirm whether the building is a uranium enrichment facility based on satellite images, but Pyongyang is in "desperate need" of such a building for its nuclear program. In September, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for the introduction of new centrifuges, which were in the final stage of development, to boost the country's production of nuclear weapons. International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said Monday in Vienna that the nuclear watchdog is monitoring the construction of the new structure, which he said has similar features to an existing uranium enrichment plant in Kangson near Pyongyang. Kobayashi said the new building, which would be the third uranium enrichment facility in North Korea along with existing ones in Yongbyon and Kangson, may only accommodate the updated type of centrifuge. The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a U.S. think tank, has released several satellite images of the suspected new uranium enrichment facility in Yongbyon. Its analysis showed the construction had started in mid-December. The building was externally completed by early June and internal construction continues, according to the think tank. Kim toured a nuclear material production base and the Nuclear Weapons Institute last September and January, the country's state-run media had said without reporting the location of the sites. In an unusual move, the official Korean Central News Agency published pictures in September and January showing arrays of centrifuges at one or more undeclared facilities visited by Kim. In September 2017, North Korea claimed it detonated a hydrogen bomb that can be mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile, in its sixth and most powerful nuclear test. As a miniaturized hydrogen bomb needs both plutonium and highly enriched uranium for detonation, North Korea may be expanding its capacity for uranium enrichment. Related coverage: North Korea says damaged destroyer repaired, relaunched successfully U.S. expert posts satellite image of suspected North Korea nuke facility South Korea's military halts loudspeaker broadcasts against North Korea
3 hours ago
Akazawa, Lutnick Speak by Phone over U.S. Tariffs
News from Japan Society Jun 15, 2025 12:01 (JST) Tokyo, June 15 (Jiji Press)--Japanese trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick spoke by phone for about 30 minutes in the United States on Saturday to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, the Japanese government said Sunday. Akazawa and Lutnick held very in-depth discussions to reach an agreement possibly at a meeting of the two countries' leaders on the sidelines of a Group of Seven summit set to start Monday in Canada, the Japanese government said. In Washington on Friday, the Japanese economic revitalization minister met in person with Lutnick and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent separately for the sixth round of tariff negotiations between the two countries. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
