Japan, France Plan 2+2 Security Talks for May 9

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:18 JST, April 26, 2023

The Japanese and French governments have begun making final arrangements for two-plus-two security talks of the countries’ foreign and defense ministers via videoconference on May 9. In light of China’s increasing hegemonic behavior, the two governments are expected to confirm their policy of further strengthening security cooperation to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada will attend the meeting on the Japanese side and French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu will be present at the meeting as their counterparts.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed at their summit meeting in January that they would hold two-plus-two talks of their foreign and defense ministers in the first half of this year.