Japan, Belgium Defense Chiefs Agree to Deepen Security Ties

Tokyo, Aug. 31 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Belgian counterpart, Theo Francken, at a meeting in Tokyo on Monday agreed to deepen security cooperation between their countries.

Koizumi welcomed Belgium's first assignment of a defense attache to its embassy in Tokyo, saying this is highly significant as the security in the Euro-Atlantic region and that in the Indo-Pacific region are becoming increasingly inseparable.

The two ministers exchanged views on regional developments and confirmed cooperation to maintain a free and open international order based on the rule of law.

Francken, who also serves as Belgium's trade minister, expressed his eagerness to strengthen defense industry cooperation with Japan.

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