TOKYO — Japan and France on Tuesday agreed to enhance defense cooperation, including the joint development of military equipment, Japanese officials said.
Japan’s Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian signed a memorandum of understanding in Tokyo despite Japanese concerns about a planned sale of French warships to Russia.
The agreement comes shortly after Japan’s government — led by conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — expanded the scope of the country’s forces, allowing it the right to go into battle in defense of its allies.
It also follows a commitment made by Abe and French President Francois Hollande in Paris last May to start talks on a deal to jointly develop defense equipment.
“By signing the memorandum, we agreed to further advance our defense cooperation,” Onodera said.
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