Mainichi reported on an online meeting held between Defense Minister Kishi and his German counterpart on Tuesday. In response to the German official’s explanation that his nation will dispatch a warship to the Indo-Pacific region next year, the Japanese minister said: “We strongly support it. We would like to coordinate closely.” The two officials also exchanged views on the regional situation, including North Korea and China’s relentless pursuit of maritime interests in the South and East China Seas. They reportedly agreed to promote bilateral defense cooperation toward realizing a “free and open” Indo-Pacific.