Japan, Germany pledge to boost security cooperation at 1st strategic dialogue

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Japan and Germany on Monday pledged to “further” boost bilateral security cooperation, an official statement said.

This was discussed during their first “strategic dialogue" in Tokyo, which was co-chaired by Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his German counterpart Johann Wadephul, who is on a three-day visit to Japan.

Iwaya said the international order “faces severe challenges,” and the need for cooperation between Japan and Germany “is increasing,” according to the statement issued by the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

The two sides have taken several steps to boost security cooperation, and a bilateral "acquisition and cross-servicing” agreement took effect last year in July, which will facilitate joint exercises between the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the German military.

“Japan is a special partner in Asia that shares the same values and principles,” Wadephul told Iwaya, adding that Germany intends to “further deepen cooperation.”

“The Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific have become increasingly inseparable,” said the top Japanese diplomat, welcoming Germany’s continued engagement in the region through asset deployment and other efforts.

Japan and Germany, which established diplomatic ties in 1861, are members of the G7 and G20 groupings, among other multilateral forums. The trade volume between the two has blossomed to over $47 billion in recent years.

“Both ministers concurred on strengthening security-related dialogue… strengthening cooperation in the cyber domain to further materialize bilateral cooperation in the security field,” the statement added.

It said the two foreign ministers exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine and concurred on continuing to “work in close coordination to achieve a just and lasting peace.”

They exchanged views on situations in the wider Asia-Pacific region, including the policies towards North Korea, as well as situations in the Middle East and Africa.

Later, addressing a joint news conference with Iwaya, Wadephul said: “We also have common security interests (with Japan) in the Indo-Pacific, specifically with regard to the Taiwan Strait in the South and East China Seas."

"The tense situation there worries us all. China repeatedly threatens, more or less openly, to unilaterally change the status quo and shift borders in its favor," said the German top diplomat.

"It is quite clear that the prohibition of the use of force in the United Nations Charter applies, and any escalation would have serious consequences in this sensitive hub of international trade for global security and the global economy,” he added.