Japan and France agreed Wednesday to step up cooperation in the field of maritime security, issuing a five-year road map for a partnership that also covers issues ranging from global trade to climate change.
The policy agreement was reached by the leaders of the two countries, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting French President Emmanuel Macron, during a meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo.
Japan and France are seeking to deepen ties on maritime security and assisting developing nations with improving infrastructure, amid China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. According to a draft of the road map that runs through 2023, areas on which the two countries will work together also include space and cyberspace.