The foreign and defense ministers of Japan and France affirmed on Friday the launch of a new bilateral framework to discuss maritime security and environmental issues amid China's growing assertiveness, with the first meeting likely to be held by the end of the year.

In a joint communique released after the "two plus two" security talks in the French northwest coastal city of Brest, the ministers also expressed strong concern over the situation in the disputed East and South China seas and agreed to continue to cooperate toward dealing with North Korea's denuclearization.

"We strongly oppose unilateral actions heightening tension" in the disputed waters, they said in the communique. Tokyo has been mired in a territorial spat with Beijing over the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which are called Diaoyu in China and are also claimed by Taiwan, where they are known as Tiaoyutai.