23 Dec

Japan's Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo has agreed with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh that the two countries will work together to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Kishi held a telephone conversation with Singh on Tuesday for the first time since Kishi took office. The pair spoke for about 45 minutes.

They agreed that the two countries strongly oppose any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by coercion or any activities that escalate tension. The remarks apparently refer to China's increasing activity in the East and South China seas.

Kishi stressed the importance of close cooperation among countries that share basic values like democracy and the rule of law. He conveyed his idea about promoting multilateral defense cooperation between Japan, India, the United States and Australia.

nhk