June 1, 2026
SINGAPORE – Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-back, met in Singapore on Saturday and agreed to promote defense exchanges between their two countries.
At the start of the meeting, Koizumi said, “It is unprecedented for Japan and South Korea to hold defense ministerial meetings closely.”
Ahn announced that the Maritime Self-Defense Force and the South Korean Navy will conduct a joint search and rescue exercise on June 7 for the first time in about nine years. The drill had been suspended due to issues such as an incident in 2018 where a South Korean destroyer directed its fire-control radar at an MSDF patrol plane.
Koizumi also held talks with British Defense Secretary John Healey, confirming progress on the joint development of a next-generation fighter jet by Japan, Britain and Italy. They reaffirmed their shared understanding that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions is inseparable, and exchanged information regarding their respective efforts concerning the situation in the Middle East.