EU and Japan reach agreement on defense partnership

The EU and Japan have signed an agreement on strategic, security and defense cooperation. Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell exchanged documents at a ceremony in Tokyo, TASS reports.

The agreement will come into force on Jan. 1, 2025. Japan is the first in the region to sign such an agreement with the EU, Iwaya said, noting that Japan-EU relations are stronger than ever.

According to Borrell, these agreements will strengthen security in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, as well as help build a future based on democracy and respect for human rights.