S'pore and Japan to enhance defence, security and economic cooperation

SINGAPORE - Singapore and Japan will work closer together to broaden defence and security cooperation and enhance economic ties, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Saturday (June 11).

As the leaders met, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and his counterpart Nobuo Kishi signed an enhanced memorandum on defence exchanges, which updates a 2009 agreement to formalise defence interactions between the countries.

"We have also commenced discussions on an agreement on the transfer of defence equipment and technology," PM Lee said at a joint press conference after meeting his counterpart at the Istana.

This agreement will establish a legal framework for the import and export of such equipment and technology, and several other Asean countries have signed a similar pact with Tokyo.

Mr Kishida said: "Based on the enhanced memorandum on defence exchanges, we agreed to move towards more concrete security cooperation."

The initial memorandum covers the exchange of visits by officials, policy dialogues and military staff talks, as well as cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and peace support operations, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said.

The enhanced pact identifies new areas of cooperation including logistic support, exchanges on defence technology, protection against chemical, biological, radiological and explosive threats, strategic communications and maritime security.

Mindef said both countries will also advance regional cooperation in a multilateral setting such as the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus, which brings together all 10 Asean members and eight key partners - Japan as well as Australia, China, India, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the United States.

Mr Kishida arrived on Friday to deliver the keynote speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue. His two-day official visit is his first to Singapore since becoming prime minister last year.

On Saturday morning, he received a ceremonial welcome at the Istana and had a new orchid hybrid named in his honour.

He then called on President Halimah Yacob, and they reaffirmed the broad and substantive relations between Singapore and Japan. They noted that despite the Covid-19 pandemic, economic links had remained robust and even increased. They also discussed other areas of cooperation such as digitalisation and restoring cross-border travel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Mr Kishida then met PM Lee, who said they reaffirmed the excellent state of bilateral ties and committed to further strengthening the partnership.

Beyond defence and economic ties, they reviewed existing cooperation in the fields of digitalisation, sustainability and energy, and cross-border travel.

They also exchanged views on regional and international developments, and reaffirmed the importance of a rules-based international order and the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

PM Lee said Singapore and Japan are longstanding partners with substantial cooperation in many areas. The two nations share common interests in maintaining regional peace and stability, as well as upholding an open and inclusive regional architecture.

"As I said at the recent Nikkei Conference in Tokyo, Singapore looks forward to Japan playing a larger role in the region, contributing not only to the economic vitality of the Asia-Pacific but also to the peace and stability of the region," he added.

Mr Kishida said on the economic security front, there are plans for training in a third country this year in building a resilient supply chain in the region and to hold a bilateral experts' meeting on cooperation in the digital field.

"Next year, we will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Japan-Asean friendship and cooperation. I am looking forward to work together with Singapore to advance not only our bilateral relations but also the Japan-Asean relationship," he added.

PM Lee also said they discussed two other issues he had raised when they met in Tokyo last month - updating the Japan-Singapore economic partnership agreement and enhancing flight connectivity, in particular with Tokyo's Haneda Airport.

"There is a lot of pent-up demand for travel between Singapore and Japan. And once the tourism restrictions and entry restrictions into Japan are lifted, I have no doubt that the demand would be very strong," he added.

The resumption of tourism between both countries was a theme that continued at the official lunch, where PM Lee shared that he hosted Mr Kishida to breakfast at Marina Bay, where they tucked into roti prata, kaya toast and tau huay (soya beancurd).

The lunch menu included local fusion food - chilli crab cake and fish with spicy coconut sauce - and PM Lee hoped it would encourage Mr Kishida to visit again.

As both countries emerge into the post-pandemic era, the first step to even closer bilateral cooperation would be to restore travel and revive people-to-people ties, PM Lee added.

He brought up how from Friday, Japan allowed tourists from certain countries for small group tours. PM Lee said he was glad Singapore was one of the source countries, as Japan has traditionally been a top travel destination for Singaporeans.

"Before the pandemic, every year, nearly half a million Singaporeans visit Japan to savour Japanese cuisine, experience the rich culture and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Therefore, you can imagine how eagerly many Singaporeans are anticipating a further reopening of borders and restoration of flight connectivity," he said.

PM Lee added that he looked forward to Japanese tourists coming to Singapore again. About 800,000 such tourists visited the Republic every year before Covid-19.

"They savoured our hawker delights, soaked in our vibrant multiracial culture and heritage, and visited iconic landmarks such as Orchard Road and the Marina Bay Sands. We hope that very soon we can welcome them back," he said.