Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and French President Emmanuel Macron pledged Monday to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region amid shared concerns over China and North Korea.
Speaking to reporters in Paris, the two leaders highlighted challenges — including security — where they can increase cooperation. The leaders looked to a new round of joint military exercises as well as Japan’s establishment of a consulate in France’s New Caledonia islands, which marks deeper cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
"Beyond the war in Ukraine, our two countries have never failed to coordinate closely on major international crises, as well as on nonproliferation issues,” Macron said ahead of a work dinner at the Elysee presidential palace.