ISLAMABAD: Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan, Kuninori Matsuda, said that his country is engaged in enhancing its cooperative partnership with Pakistan, including military-to-military ties.
Speaking at a reception, Matsuda hosted to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Japan Self-Defense Forces Day, he said there are a number of opportunities for the two sides to give further boost their long-standing partnership for their mutual benefits.
Lt. General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Adjutant General, General Headquarters was the chief guest on the occasion. Colonel Mamoru Nanjo, Defense Attaché, Embassy of Japan, represented the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF).
The reception was attended by the parliamentarians, senior civilian and military officials of the Government of Pakistan, members of the diplomatic community and other dignitaries from the public and private sectors.
While welcoming the guests, Kuninori Matsuda touched upon the various aspects of the long history of Japan-Pakistan friendship while emphasizing the need for further collaboration as there are lots of potentials to develop between the two countries.
He said that JSDF in collaboration with Pakistani forces carried out missions at the times of natural disasters and counter-piracy operations in the waters off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, called CTF-151. A unit of antisubmarine patrol aircraft, P-3C, and vessels from Maritime Self Defense Force participated in a multinational naval exercise called AMAN which was organized by the Pakistan Navy recently to advance mutual understandings.
On recent development of Japan-Pakistan defense cooperation, Ambassador Matsuda informed that on Tuesday, June 18th, Japan and Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation and Exchanges and hoped that defense cooperation between the two countries would keep expanding further.
On the same day, the seventh round of Japan-Pakistan Security Dialogue was held, where two sides exchanged views on security policies as well as regional and global issues, said Ambassador Matsuda.
