Japanese container vessel arrives in Busan port, the Republic of Korea, on July 27, 2020 (Photo: Yonhap) Tokyo (VNA) – Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi and Thai Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha highlighted the significance of maintaining maritime freedom during their phone talk on May 25. Both sides reaffirmed that Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) shares similarities with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). They expressed support of the respect for principles enshrined in the AOIP, including ASEAN’s central role and compliance with international law such as the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. On the Myanmar situation, the Japanese minister welcomed Thailand’s constructive