The defense ministers of Japan and Vietnam have agreed that the international community should work together to peacefully resolve the issue of the South China Sea. China's military presence is growing in the waters.
Japan's Takeshi Iwaya and Vietnam's General Ngo Xuan Lich met in Hanoi on Thursday. They agreed to advance cooperation between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and Vietnam's military in maritime security and other areas for the peace and stability of the region.
The ministers signed memoranda of understanding. One of them promotes port calls in Vietnam by SDF vessels, including its largest destroyer Izumo. Another encourages bilateral technical cooperation on defense equipment for maritime surveillance.
The ministers confirmed that their nations will work together to denuclearize North Korea. Iwaya asked for Vietnam's help in resolving the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by Pyongyang.
After the meeting, Iwaya told reporters that although efforts to build mutual trust with China are important, attempts to change the status quo by force are regrettably underway in the South China Sea. He said the international community should work together and speak up on the issue.
NHK
