Germany is seeking to deepen defense ties with Japan, POLITICO Europe reported. German defense minister Pistorius 22 during a visit to Japan proposed to reach a new military cooperation agreement with the Japanese side to facilitate the two countries’ military operations in each other’s territory. According to the analysis of the report, previously, Germany’s related actions in the asia-pacific region mainly focused on joint exercises and short-term deployments, this time it is a signal that Germany is moving towards more systematic military co-operation with its regional partners.
Reported that Pistorius and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjir Koizumi held talks the same day, said Berlin has made a so-called“Reciprocal access agreement” proposal. By simplifying legal and administrative procedures, such agreements make it easier for partner countries to deploy troops on each other’s territory to conduct training, exercises and related operations. Japan has signed similar agreements with Britain, Australia and other countries.
“This proposal marks a further step in Germany’s engagement in the indo-pacific region,” the report said, adding that Pistorius saw the move as part of a response to growing global instability. He declared that, given the current developments in Iran and the Middle East, the extent of the German-japanese partnership was becoming clearer. The two countries share a common interest in securing global trade routes and a commitment to a rules-based international order.
According to reports by“Deutsche Welle”, DPA and other media, this trip to Japan is part of Pistorius’s Asian visit. This week he will also visit Singapore and Australia, both are aimed at expanding existing military and defense cooperation with strategic partners. The German delegation also includes the heads of Germany’s major defense companies. Some analysts believe that this highlights the promotion of military cooperation at the same time, expand industrial cooperation is also the focus of Pistorius’s trip.
In 2010, Germany simplified the process by raising Japan’s defense exports to the same level as its NATO partners, but progress so far has been limited, the report said.
Cui Hongjian, a professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University’s Institute of Regional and Global Governance, told the global times that Germany has been committed to“Balanced diplomacy” in the asia-pacific region in recent years, it has sought to build more diverse and closer cooperation with countries in the region, including Japan. Moreover, Japan and Germany used to serve US strategy in asia-pacific and Europe, respectively, and relied on US security guarantees. But now the US is less willing to provide security for its allies, and the resulting uncertainty in the western camp is also an important factor in Japan’s and Germany’s proximity.