(Provisional translation by an external company for reference purpose only)
Tomorrow, Wednesday, December 4, I will welcome Minister for Defence Jonson of Sweden, and hold the Japan-Sweden Defense Ministers Meeting. This Defense Ministers Meeting with Sweden will be the first since the previous meeting held this July in Sweden. Japan and Sweden share fundamental values, and the opportunity of high-level dialogue like this meeting is highly meaningful towards expanding defense cooperation and exchange between the two countries building on Sweden’s accession to NATO this March. At the meeting, we will share our respective views on regional affairs, and engage in concrete discussions on further advancing security and defense cooperation between our two countries.