An online conference was held by defense officials from Japan and the three island nations of the Pacific Ocean, and the Ministry of Defense has been postponed while calling for further strengthening of defense cooperation, with China in mind, which is strengthening its marine advance even in the Corona disaster. We confirmed the cooperation for holding a ministerial meeting.
The Ministry of Defense held a ministerial-level meeting in April last year inviting defense ministers from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Tonga to promote defense cooperation with the Pacific island nations, which are on important routes for maritime traffic. It was planned to be held in Tokyo, but it was postponed due to the influence of the new coronavirus, and we are adjusting the holding time again.
Toward the realization of the meeting, the Ministry of Defense held an online meeting attended by the directors of each country on the 3rd, and at the beginning, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Defense Matsukawa said, "Japan is one-sided in the East China Sea and South China Sea, including the China Coast Guard Law. I am concerned about attempts to change the status quo. The Pacific island nation is essential for maintaining and strengthening the'free and open Indo-Pacific'. "
At the conference, we will call for further strengthening of defense cooperation, keeping in mind China, which is strengthening its marine expansion even in the case of coronavirus, and a ministerial-level meeting will be held at an appropriate time based on the infection situation of the new coronavirus. We have confirmed that we will continue to cooperate so that we can do so.