The Defense Ministry is strengthening its security-related capacity-building support to Pacific island countries in a bid to help them keep China in check, which is stepping up military expansion in the South Pacific.
This year, the ministry started to expand the scope of the aid, which includes personnel development and technical cooperation, to include support for the police and other security authorities in countries that do not have military forces.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to announce the nation's plans to deepen its security and defense cooperation with such island countries at the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting, to be held in Tokyo from July 16 to 18.