BANGKOK: Japan and Thailand signed an agreement on Monday to transfer defense equipment and technologies from Japan to Thailand as part of efforts to step up their defense cooperation.

The signing took place as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Thai counterpart, Prayut Chan-o-cha, held a summit meeting in Bangkok.

After the meeting, Kishida told a joint press conference with Prayut that Japan and Thailand will have talks to discuss details of the transfer.

At their meeting, the two leaders confirmed that their nations will work together to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region to counter China’s growing economic and security influence.

On Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kishida and Prayut affirmed that they will not accept any infringement of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a change to the status quo by force, in any regions.

The two leaders shared their opposition to the use of weapons of mass destruction or a threat to use them.

Thailand distances itself from Western countries’ hard-line stance on Russia and has not joined them in imposing sanctions on Moscow.

At the joint press conference, Prayut said Thailand will work together with the international community to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the people in Ukraine.

Thailand holds the rotating chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum this year. Kishida and Prayut confirmed their close cooperation in making an APEC summit in November successful.

Also, the two leaders affirmed that their countries will step up work on a treaty to beef up their countries’ criminal investigation cooperation.

It was the first in-person meeting between Kishida and Prayut since the Japanese leader took office last October.

Thailand is the third country for Kishida to visit in his tour of three Southeast Asian countries and two European nations, which began on Friday.

JIJI Press