A Japan-Malaysia memorandum on defense exchanges that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe proposed last year could take a while to realize due to regional "sensitivities," Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said Tuesday.
"It is important to really sit down to discuss heart-to-heart with the leadership of Japan because the past and their relationship with certain nations in the region should not be a stumbling block to a bigger role of stability and harmony," Hishammuddin told reporters after meeting with his Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera.
Citing "the sensitivities of our region," he said it is important for Malaysia to consider the "bigger scope" by "taking into account China, taking into account the U.S. presence," for example, and secure the understanding of countries like China and South Korea.