Japan, Poland elevate ties, vow deeper security cooperation

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her visiting Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk, agreed Wednesday (April 15) to work together to achieve peace in Ukraine, which has been invaded by Russia.

At their meeting held at the prime minister's office in Tokyo, the two leaders also discussed the situations in Asia and the Middle East, confirming close cooperation to realise a free and open Indo-Pacific.

"The security of the Euro-Atlantic and that of the Indo-Pacific are closely linked," Takaichi said at the start of the meeting.

 "There are a host of challenges, including Ukraine and the Middle East, that the international community as a whole has to address," she added.

Tusk said Poland and Japan share common values.

Takaichi and Tusk agreed to elevate their countries' relations to a "comprehensive and strategic partnership" and to advance discussions on enhancing security cooperation, including creating a framework for information protection.

The two countries also held a signing ceremony for a social security agreement.

After the meeting, Takaichi and Tusk released a joint statement stipulating that they "firmly opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion."

"Cooperation with like-minded countries has become more crucial than ever amid an increasingly severe security environment," Takaichi told a joint press conference.

Tusk emphasised that the two nations play a significant role in stabilising the global situation.

The meeting was the first between Takaichi and Tusk, who became the first Polish prime minister to visit Japan since January 2020.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]