During a port call by the first German warship to visit Japan in roughly twenty years, Japan’s Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said Japan will enhance military cooperation with Germany in the Indo-Pacific region.
After participating in two days of joint exercises with the destroyer Samidare of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force in the Pacific Ocean, the frigate Bayern visits Tokyo amid growing maritime assertiveness by China.
After inspecting the frigate with German officials, Kishi said the visit is a turning point in pursuing an open Indo-Pacific and securing one of the world’s most important shipping channels. “It shows Germany’s strong commitment to actively contribute to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” Kishi added.
Following the adoption of the German defense policy on the Indo-Pacific region last year, the German military has strengthened ties with Japan.
