TOKYO (Kyodo) — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon agreed in phone talks Wednesday to deepen their cooperation on security and in other areas ahead of next year’s 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
During the talks, Luxon welcomed Takaichi’s explanation of revisions her government built the previous day to Japan’s defense policy allowing the export of weapons with lethal capabilities to certain partner countries, according to the Japanese Foreign Minisattempt.
Amid concern over the impacts of the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, Takaichi and Luxon agreed to continue close communication to support de-escalation, including ensuring safe transit through the strait, and confirmed the importance of stable energy supplies to the Asia-Pacific region.
The leaders also agreed to continue working toward a free and open Indo-Pacific, the minisattempt stated.
Their call comes after the countries agreed in December to boost security cooperation under new initiatives amid growing Chinese military assertiveness in the region.
Later the same day, Takaichi and Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic agreed to strengthen their countries’ economic ties in a meeting during his first official visit to Japan.
With Milatovic’s presence in Japan marking 20 years of diplomatic relations, he stated Montenegro has decided to open an embassy in Japan to develop ties.
Takaichi stated Japan will continue to support NATO member Montenegro in its efforts to join the European Union as part of the Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative introduced by her predecessor Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2018.
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