On June 2, 2024, Minister of Defense Kihara, who was visiting Singapore to attend the 21st IISS Asia Security Forum (Shangri-La Dialogue), held a Japan-Canada Defense Ministerial Meeting with Canadian Defense Minister Blair. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
At the outset, Minister Kihara stated that he welcomed the steady deepening of defense cooperation between Japan and Canada, including joint Japan-Canada exercises and cooperation in surveillance activities against illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers by North Korea.
The two ministers also exchanged views on future joint exercises and defense cooperation and exchanges between the two countries, including cooperation through NATO.
The two ministers shared the view that they would work closely together at all levels to realize a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific.”