ASEAN and Japanese Defense Vice-Ministers met in Tokyo’s historic Chinzanso Hotel for their annual ASEAN-Japan Vice-Ministerial Defense Forum. The forum is a platform for the militaries and defense establishments of eleven countries to share views on the regional security situation, review cooperation programs, and exchange ideas on practical initiatives going forward. ASEAN and Japan noted the convergence of views and complementarities which present greater opportunities for interaction and exchange, for instance in cybersecurity, non-traditional sectors, the maritime domain, humanitarian and disaster response, the rule of law, and many other ASEAN priority action areas.

Japan is one of ASEAN’s most important dialogue partners. Japan’s defense cooperation with ASEAN is guided by Japan’s Vientiane Vision, which it unveiled in Laos in 2016, and was welcomed by ASEAN.

Undersecretary Ricardo David of the Department of National Defense of the Philippines headed the Philippine delegation to the forum.

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