"China a challenge to our security…”: Japan Deputy Press Secy

Calling China a “challenge to our security”, Japan Deputy Press Secretary Yukiko Okano on Friday, said that Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, during his interaction with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, highlighted that India and Japan share fundamental interests in supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific.

By Ayushi Agarwal Calling China a "challenge to our security", Japan Deputy Press Secretary Yukiko Okano on Friday, said that Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, during his interaction with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, highlighted that India and Japan share fundamental interests in supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific.

"China is our neighbouring country. The new national security strategy I referred to states that China is a challenge to our security," she said while briefing the media about the India-Japan forum. Japanese FM arrived in India late afternoon and had an India-Japan strategic dialogue with Jaishankar. This morning he attended the India-Japan forum.

According to the Japan Foreign Ministry, the two leaders affirmed that they would continue to advance cooperation in the field of defence and security such as equipment cooperation and defence exchanges, and also to adjust high-level points of contact in the future. She further informed that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is also planning to visit New Delhi later this year for the G20 summit.

"PM Modi visited Japan in May, for attending the G7 summit, and Hayashi this time is here in New Delhi and in September once again PM Kishida is planning to come to New Delhi for the G20 summit," she added. Japanese FM and Jaishankar held the 15th India-Japan Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi on Thursday.

"This time Hayashi is visiting three countries. He arrived in India yesterday and will be leaving for Sri Lanka. India and Japan share fundamental values and interests and we both support a free and open Indo-Pacific". The meeting provided an opportunity to review the progress made in the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership and highlighted the Japan-India cooperation towards the future of the Indo-Pacific.

"But our basic stance is we will say what needs to say to China but we will cooperate with China in fields where cooperation is possible and they are our biggest trade partners so we would like to maintain a stable and constructive relationship with China," she added. Underlining that a free trade agreement already exists between India and Japan, she said, "The defence agreement between the two countries has also been steadily progressing. In 2015, the two nations agreed to the transfer of Defence equipment technology."

The Japan Ministry spokesperson added that during the interaction with Jaishankar, Hayashi also "requested cooperation in the investment environment with businesses in India and for the early establishment of the giants." "The view of the Japanese people here is that they want to see a more predictable, transparent business environment here in India. Infrastructure challenges have been raised in the past. The Japanese business sectors see an opportunity in India for Business investment," Okano said.

Foreign Minister Hayashi attended the India-Japan forum today. The Minister attended India-Japan strategic dialogue with Jaishankar on Thursday. The next leg of the Japanese Foreign Minister would be in Sri Lanka.

Before departing for Sri Lanka, Yoshimasa Hayashi will visit the Mahatma Gandhi Museum to pay respect to the Father of the Nation and then will depart for Sri Lanka on Friday evening. Expressing support for Ukraine's "sovereignty", Yukiko Okano said that whether Kyiv will join the G20 summit in India or not, will depend on New Delhi's decision.

"On Ukraine wanting to join India's G20 and if there will be a joint communique - which country should be invited depends upon the chair. If India wants to Invite then it's okay, if not then also we are okay. Also on Joint communique, it depends upon the chair", she said "Ukraine was discussed as one of the regional agenda. I don't want to go into the details. But, I can say that Japan and India share the fundamental thinking that sovereignty and territorial integrity should be held under the UN charter and status quo should not change unilaterally," she said.

Jaishankar and Hayashi held the 15th India-Japan Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi on Thursday. The meeting provided an opportunity to review the progress made in the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

The two ministers engaged in comprehensive discussions covering a wide range of issues of bilateral, regional, and global significance. They highlighted the importance of further strengthening India-Japan partnership based on shared values and principles. "On July 27, commencing at 6:40 p.m. for approximately 150 minutes, Hayashi Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, during his visit to India, held a Japan-India Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue with S Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India," the Japan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Minister Hayashi welcomed the active multi-channel dialogue, including between the leaders of Japan and India and the ministers for foreign affairs. As per the Ministry, the two ministers affirmed that they would continue to advance cooperation in the field of defence and security such as equipment cooperation and defence exchanges, and also to adjust high-level points of contact in the future.

The two ministers affirmed that they would continue to make steady progress on the high-speed rail project, a flagship project of Japan and India. Minister Hayashi also stated that he would advance cooperation for the development of north-eastern India, which Prime Minister Modi places importance on, and to advance projects that contribute to regional connectivity, the Ministry stated. The leaders concurred on expanding human exchanges between the two countries, such as tourism and international students, assuming that people-to-people exchanges will strengthen medium- to long-term Japan-India relations.

"The two ministers affirmed that they would continue to work together as the G7 and G20 Presidencies for the success of the G20 New Delhi Summit in September this year, following the results of the Hiroshima Summit. They also affirmed cooperation in the international arena, such as in the Quad countries and Security Council reform," the Japan Ministry stated. The Japanese Foreign Minister had arrived in New Delhi earlier on Thursday.

Jaishankar and Hayashi held the 15th India-Japan Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi on Thursday. The meeting provided an opportunity to review the progress made in the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

The two leaders also discussed critical global issues, including terrorism and nuclear proliferation at the forum. The visiting Japanese minister highlighted the Japan-India cooperation towards the future of the Indo-Pacific. Yoshimasa Hayashi is in India as part of his visit to Southwest Asia and Africa to bolster relations with a group of nations known as the Global South. (ANI)

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