Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he would seek to build a multilayered defense network with other countries while bolstering military cooperation with the United States as he seeks to strengthen Japan’s deterrence in a challenging security environment.
Speaking to a group of reporters at the Prime Minister's Office on Friday, Kishida also reiterated his commitment to achieving a lasting peace in Ukraine. The comments come ahead of his trip to Washington for a summit with President Joe Biden and a three-way leaders’ meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. this week.
"Pushing ahead on cooperation with like-minded countries on security, including defense equipment and technology, will lead to the establishment of a multilayered network, and by expanding that we can improve deterrence,” he said.