Japan and France Commit to Strengthening Relations

Japan and France stated today, Friday, that they "look forward to enhancing bilateral cooperation after agreeing earlier this month to expedite discussions to establish a framework for joint military exercises, as Paris seeks to push for greater military and trade collaboration." Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, before the G7 summit hosted by Hiroshima, "This represents an opportunity to develop an exceptional partnership." Ministers from both sides had earlier instructed their respective ministries to make further progress in talks aimed at establishing a permanent framework that would improve administrative, legal, and political procedures for conducting joint military exercises. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed hope, before discussions with Kishida, that "we will be able to follow the bilateral roadmap we have outlined together, which will strengthen our cooperation in the coming years."