Japan, Singapore Elevate Bilateral Ties to Strategic Partnership

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:04 JST, March 19, 2026

Japan and Singapore have agreed to elevate their bilateral ties to a strategic partnership at summit talks held in the Prime Minister’s Office, as the two countries mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.

During Wednesday’s talks, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that she hoped to further strengthen the countries’ ties as like-minded countries. Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong responded that he wanted to deepen cooperation.

In the joint statement, they shared the view that the international security environment and multilateral free trading system are facing significant challenges. The two agreed to prioritize five areas, including economic security, AI and security, and work toward deepening long-term cooperation.

At the meeting, Takaichi and Wong also discussed issues such as a free and open Indo-Pacific, which Japan promotes, and the situation in the Middle East.

This is Wong’s first visit to Japan since taking office as prime minister in May 2024.