France and Japan want to strengthen their security partnership
French President Emmanuel Macron, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Monday January 9, 2023, at the Élysée Palace in Paris.
AP - Francois Mori
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
French President Emmanuel Macron and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday January 9 expressed their desire to strengthen the partnership between their two countries in terms of security in the Asia-Pacific region.
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“
As unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East and South China Sea intensify and the security environment is increasingly tense, we wish to continue to promote cooperation with France, a nation of Pacific
,” Kishida said, alluding to China, referring in particular to joint military exercises.
The Japanese Prime Minister began a tour of Europe and North America on Monday in Paris to meet his counterparts from other G7 countries, of which Japan has just taken over the rotating presidency for a year.
“
France is a leading partner in achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific space
,” insisted the Japanese Prime Minister before a working dinner at the Elysée Palace, also welcoming bilateral cooperation in the automobile industry ( Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance), nuclear power, renewable energies or civil aviation.
► To read also:
The Japanese Prime Minister on tour with his G7 allies
Towards new partnerships between Paris and Tokyo
Emmanuel Macron insisted on a common desire to “
build new partnerships
”, in addition to those already existing, and mentioned new “
initiatives necessary to fight against climate change
”.
France is also interested in cooperation in the field of armaments while Japan has carried out a major revision of its defense strategy and greatly increased its military spending, notes the Elysée.
The two countries are also working on joint development projects in Asia-Pacific, such as in Fiji.
Fumio Kishida also underlined the “
determination
” of the Japanese presidency of the G7 to “
unite to continue to strengthen the sanctions against Russia
” and to support
Ukraine.
“
Japan can count on our unwavering support in the face of violations of international law by
Pyongyang
,” noted Emmanuel Macron.
► To read also:
Japan: "We must be part of a balance of power with China"
Notre-Dame Cathedral also on the menu of discussions
He also invited his guest to visit the construction site of
Notre-Dame Cathedral
, whose fire in 2019 sparked a wave of emotion around the world, especially in Japan, a first for a head of state and government. foreigner.
"
I had promised him, when he came to Paris, to be able to show him the progress of the work and to give a nod to what had affected the Japanese people a lot at the time
," he said. .
The Head of State also recalled the timetable for the reopening of the cathedral at the end of 2024, which he had set in 2019 and which had then been considered very ambitious.
“
We see that by setting a course, by doing things in the right order (..) we are moving forward and therefore we will achieve this objective, especially by doing well and by having good
weather,” he said.
(With
AFP
)
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France
Japan
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Emmanuel Macron
Fumio Kishida
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