Japan and Germany Sign Defence Pact

Japan and Germany have signed a military pact to facilitate the exchanges of supplies and logistical support. Japan’s foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa inked the acquisition and cross-servicing agreement (ACSA) with Germany’s ambassador to Japan Clemens von Goetze in Tokyo, a pact which allows the simplification of sharing food, fuel and munitions between Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and Germany’s Bundeswehr. It would allow each side to utilise respective facilities subject to Japanese parliamentary approval, while Germany requires no such domestic procedure.

Kamikawa told Goetze that the new treaty will enable Japan and Germany to “proactively contribute to the peace and safety of the international community” together.

Tokyo and Berlin have recently ramped up security cooperation through joint exercises. Germany became the seventh ACSA partner for Japan after the US, Australia, Britain, Canada, France and India. shp/adj/dl (Pix:Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs)