Japanese Defense Minister Safari to Europe Strengthens Fighter Aircraft Cooperation

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi will visit Britain, France and Belgium next week to attend a series of meetings to advance trilateral cooperation in the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP).

According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, Minister Koizumi will visit the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom on Monday (20/7).

As reported by ANTARA from Kyodo, Saturday, July 18, on Tuesday (21/7), Koizumi is scheduled to meet with British Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis and Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto to discuss trilateral cooperation in the GCAP, according to the ministry's statement.

Japan together with the United Kingdom and Italy are indeed jointly developing the next generation fighter aircraft.

Meanwhile, Canada is expected to be announced as a GCAP observer country, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Furthermore, on Wednesday (22/7), Koizumi will hold separate talks with French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin in France and Secretary-General (Secretary-General) of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Mark Rutte in Belgium, according to the ministry. The meeting will reaffirm closer security cooperation.

Koizumi also briefly considered visiting the NATO Security and Training Assistance mission for Ukraine in Germany and Finland. However, the plan was canceled after the Japanese Parliament, Friday (17/7), had decided to extend the current session for eight days until July 25.

Defense Minister Koizumi will begin his journey from Tokyo on Sunday (19/7) and return on Thursday (23/7).