Vietnam, Japan Boost Defense Cooperation in Tokyo Talks

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang of Vietnam held talks with Japanese Minister of Defense Koizumi Shinjiro in Tokyo on July 13, 2026. During the meeting, Giang reiterated Vietnam's consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, and multilateralization, as well as its "Four Nos" defense policy. The "Four Nos" policy entails no participation in military alliances, no siding with one country to act against another, no foreign military bases on Vietnamese territory or using Vietnam to counteract other countries, and no use of force or threat of force in international relations. Giang emphasized Vietnam's principled stance that disputes in the East Sea must be resolved peacefully on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He also stressed the importance of fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and accelerating the conclusion of a substantive, effective, and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). Giang expressed appreciation for the support from the Japanese government and Ministry of Defense in addressing war consequences and training military personnel. He proposed that Japan expand scholarship opportunities and increase training quotas in science, technology, and engineering for Vietnamese military cadets, while reaffirming Vietnam's readiness to host Japanese cadets at its military academies. He urged both sides to effectively implement the Memorandum of Understanding on search and rescue cooperation signed last December. For his part, Koizumi reaffirmed that Vietnam is an important partner for Japan in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. He noted that promoting coordination between the two defense ministries is particularly significant amid the increasingly complex international security environment. Koizumi recalled Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae's recent official visit to Vietnam, during which the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) Vision initiative was announced. He stated that strengthening coordination and deepening ties between the two ministries of defense provides a solid foundation for enhancing exchanges on issues of mutual concern. Japan's Ministry of Defense will work closely with Vietnam's Ministry of National Defense to effectively carry out agreed areas of cooperation, thereby advancing bilateral defense ties in line with the Vietnam-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World. Acknowledging the positive progress in defense cooperation in recent years, both sides agreed to promote exchanges of high-level delegations, bilateral cooperation mechanisms, education and training, defense industry cooperation, war legacy remediation, search and rescue, disaster response, UN peacekeeping operations, and coordination at multilateral forums like the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus).