Japan, Mongolia Leaders Affirm Defense Equipment Accord

Jiji Press

15:17 JST, September 23, 2024

New York (Jiji Press)—Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh on Sunday confirmed that the two countries have effectively reached an agreement in negotiations on concluding a bilateral pact for defense equipment and technology transfers.

Meeting for about 40 minutes in New York, the two leaders agreed that Japan and Mongolia will aim to sign the pact at an early date.

The pact is designed to allow the two countries to export defense equipment and technologies to each other and to ensure their appropriate management after the transfers.

Once the pact is signed, the Japanese government plans to accelerate negotiations with Mongolia on items to be exported.

Kishida and Khurelsukh also discussed responses to North Korea. They affirmed that Japan and Mongolia will continue working closely together, including urging North Korea to completely implement U.N. Security Council resolutions regarding the country.

Kishida thanked Khurelsukh for Mongolia’s cooperation over the issue of North Korea’s abductions of Japanese nationals decades ago.

The prime minister was scheduled to visit Mongolia last month. But the trip was canceled because an emergency information about an elevated risk of a huge earthquake occurring in the Nankai Trough off Japan’s Pacific coasts was issued in the country just before the travel.

Kishida showed his gratitude for Mongolia’s understanding of the cancellation of the trip. Khurelsukh expressed his sympathy over damage caused by the recent heavy rain that hit the Noto Peninsula in the central Japan prefecture of Ishikawa.

Also on Sunday in New York, Kishida met with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the country is set to hold the 2025 presidency of the Group of Seven advanced countries. Kishida told Trudeau that he expects Canada to lead the strong G-7 collaboration.

The G-7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States plus the European Union.

Kishida also held meetings with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and European Council President Charles Michel.