The Maldives and Japan are exploring new opportunities to expand cooperation in defence and security, as both countries seek to further strengthen their longstanding bilateral partnership.
The commitment was highlighted during a meeting between Maldives' Ambassador to Japan, Ahmed Mahloof, and Japan's State Minister of Defence, Masahisa Miyazaki, where discussions focused on enhancing defence collaboration and broadening engagement between the two nations.
Following the meeting, Minister Miyazaki expressed Japan's intention to deepen defence relations with the Maldives. He also thanked the Maldivian government for its support in facilitating standby arrangements for Japanese military aircraft to respond to emergency situations when required.
Ambassador Mahloof, in a separate statement, underscored Japan's valuable contributions to the Maldives over the years, particularly in the areas of maritime safety, security cooperation, disaster preparedness and emergency response capabilities.
He noted that the strong foundation of friendship and mutual trust between the two countries continues to create new opportunities for cooperation. The ambassador also expressed confidence that bilateral ties would continue to flourish in the coming years.
Looking ahead, Mahloof pointed out that the Maldives and Japan will celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year. He described the milestone as an important opportunity to further expand cooperation and reinforce the close partnership shared by the two nations.
The Maldives and Japan have enjoyed decades of collaboration across multiple sectors, including development assistance, maritime affairs, capacity-building programmes and disaster management initiatives, making Japan one of the Maldives' key development partners.
