Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

The European Union and Japan have signed an agreement on strategic partnership, as well as collaboration in the field of security and defense. The documents were exchanged during a ceremony in Tokyo by Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, Azernews reports.

According to Iwaya, "We exchanged documents on the strategic partnership agreement, which will come into force on January 1, 2025." He also noted that they have agreed on a partnership in security and defense, highlighting that Japan is the first country in the Indo-Pacific region to conclude such an agreement with the EU.

Borrell remarked that this is "the first such cooperation program in history concluded by the European Union" with a country in the region. He believes this partnership will "strengthen security" in both Europe and the Asia-Pacific region and will focus on building "a future based on democracy and respect for human rights, as well as maintaining a rules-based world order."

"Cooperation and dialogue will develop in all areas of defense and security," Iwaya added. He mentioned that the parties will hold the first meeting of the strategic dialogue to discuss not only cooperation but also regional issues. "Japan-EU relations are stronger than ever. We will work together on a wide range of issues, including security," Iwaya stated.

Earlier, Borrell met with Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani in Tokyo, where both parties affirmed the indivisibility of security in Europe and Asia. Japan has been increasingly focusing on developing relations with Europe, particularly in security, amid concerns over China's growing maritime activity.

After his visit to Tokyo, Borrell will travel to the Republic of Korea, where he will meet with the heads of the foreign and defense ministries and visit the demilitarized zone on the border with North Korea. This trip underscores the EU's commitment to strengthening security ties in the region, as global geopolitical dynamics continue to shift.