Japan wants to work with France for ‘free and open’ Indo-Pacific, minister says

FILE PHOTO: Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi listens during a G7 foreign and development ministers session on day two of the summit in Liverpool, Britain December 12, 2021. Anthony Devlin/Pool via REUTERS

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan wants to increase cooperation with France and realise a free and open Indo-Pacific, Tokyo’s foreign minister said on Thursday, ahead of “two-plus-two” talks between the foreign and defence ministers of both countries.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi made the comment ahead of the virtual talks, which come as Tokyo has been looking to deepen security cooperation in the region given China’s growing might.

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by David Dolan and Jon Boyle)

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