Japan, Greece step up security ties as ‘strategic partners’

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, have agreed to strengthen their security, defense and economic ties and pledged to cooperate in responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and other threats in Europe and Asia. They said they agreed to upgrade their nations’ relations to a “strategic partnership,” with defense ties including military equipment and technology. The leaders also said they recognized the importance of strengthening NATO engagement in the Indo-Pacific region and of further promoting NATO cooperation with Japan. The recognition came as NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Tokyo  after a visit in South Korea, where he called for Seoul to provide direct military support to Ukraine.