Kishida, Truss Vow to Promote Security, Economic Cooperation

New York, Sept. 20 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his British counterpart, Liz Truss, agreed Tuesday to promote security and economic cooperation between the two countries at a time when Britain is strengthening its engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.

The two leaders, meeting in New York for their first summit since Truss took office earlier this month, shared serious concern over attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea and South China Sea by force, in apparent reference to China.

Kishida, referring to the war in Ukraine and tensions over Taiwan, said that the security of Europe is inseparable from that of the Indo-Pacific.

The two leaders agreed to accelerate work on a pact that will smooth the way for visits by Japanese Self-Defense Forces personnel and British troops to each other's country and on the joint development of next-generation fighter jets.

Kishida and Truss also agreed that they strongly condemn plans by separatists in four occupied Ukrainian regions to hold votes on joining Russia as further undermining Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]