Japan's National Defense Academy will accept students from Pacific island countries from as early as fiscal 2025, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said Wednesday.
He made the announcement in a keynote speech in a two-day meeting of defense ministers of Japan and Pacific island countries in Tokyo.
Apparently bearing in mind China's hegemonic ambitions, Kihara stressed the importance of protecting free, open and stable seas, saying that Japan will enhance its cooperation with Pacific island countries in the fields of defense and security.