Defense firms put their wares on display Monday at Japan's only dedicated arms show, a site for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government to promote industrial military ties that will bolster the country's influence in Southeast Asia.
The Defense Ministry has invited Southeast Asian military representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam to a separate military technology seminar, aiming to ensure attendance for the three-day Maritime Air Systems and Technologies Asia (MAST) show near Tokyo, two sources said.
"The Defense Ministry is hosting the seminar right after MAST closes," said one of the sources with knowledge of the plan.