Japan, France Agree to Form Maritime Dialogue Forum

July 15, 2018

Paris- Visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, agreed on Saturday to set up a bilateral framework for comprehensive discussions on maritime issues.

The new framework is expected to handle a wide range of themes, including security and environmental conservation.

A related public-private seminar will be held in Tokyo in December.

In talks with reporters after his meeting with Le Drian in Paris, Kono stressed the importance of the new dialogue framework, saying that free and open seas building on the rule of law are the foundation of not only the Japan-France relationship but also the international community. Jiji Press