Japan-Canada Defense Ministers’ Telephone Conversation

November 25, 2020
Japan Ministry of Defense
in Japanese

On November 25, 2020, Minister KISHI held a telephone conversation with Minister of National Defence of Canada, H.E. Harjit Singh Sajjan.

  1. Minister Sajjan congratulated Minister Kishi on his appointment as Minister of Defense. Minister Kishi expressed his appreciation.
  2. The two ministers exchanged views on regional security issues including North Korea, the East China Sea, and the South China Sea, and reaffirmed their continued close cooperation. Minister Kishi expressed that he highly valued Canada’s ongoing deployment of its assets, in the face of COVID-19 difficulties, to monitor the ongoing illicit maritime activities in contravention of the United Nations Security Council resolutions. The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to closely coordinate toward the complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement of all of North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile of all ranges.
  3. In light of the ongoing developments occurring in the region, the ministers concurred to maintain communication on the situation and to send a clear message that the ministers strongly oppose any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by coercion or activities that escalate tension. The ministers stressed the importance of all nations fully respecting international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including freedom of navigation and overflight.
  4. In addition, the ministers discussed cooperating against the risks imposed by infectious diseases that could affect peace and security and promote Japan-Canada efforts as below:.
    5. ●sharing lessons learned in humanitarian aid and disaster response (HA/DR) operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    ●Finding new opportunities for cooperation in third countries in order to make them more resilient to the pandemic.
    ●sharing information and exchanging views on reinforcing the rules-based international order, including working together to counter disinformation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
     Minister Sajjan consented to the proposal and suggested to work together.
  5. Furthermore, the two ministers welcomed continued collaboration between the two countries in exercises such as KAEDEX and the participation in Keen Sword. The two ministers confirmed they would continue to make the most of these opportunities.
  6. The two ministers affirmed they would continue to vigorously promote bilateral defense cooperation and exchanges to uphold and reinforce the Free and Open Indo-Pacific while maintaining close communication between respective defense authorities.
  7. In closing, Minister Sajjan extended an invitation to Minister Kishi to visit Canada when the COVID-19 travel restrictions have subsided.