Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and French President Emmanuel Macron agree to initiate negotiations on a reciprocal access agreement so the two countries can facilitate closer defense cooperation such as joint exercises and disaster relief operations.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida left for France, the first leg of a six-day overseas trip that is also set to take him to Brazil and Paraguay during Japan's early May Golden Week holiday period.
Japan is planning to begin talks with France on a new security agreement to facilitate joint exercises and disaster relief operations, government sources say.