More Defense Cooperation Agreed With Japan

Germany and Japan have agreed to enhance defense cooperation and begin negotiating a formal military pact, reports the Kyodo news agency (Tokyo).

Meeting in Munster in western Germany on Nov. 3, the defense and foreign ministers of the two countries agreed to deepen bilateral security ties, including an agreement covering logistics exchanges.

Germany and Japan have been expanding defense cooperation in recent years in response to growing Chinese assertiveness in the region and North Korea’s provocative ballistic missile tests.

The sides now plan to sign an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement (ACSA) that permits them to share defensive capabilities and military resources such as ammunition and fuel.

Japan has already signed similar agreements with Australia, India, the U.K. and U.S.