Japan and France are likely to start talks on a joint drilling deal this week; Kishida meets Macron in Paris

Tokyo and Paris plan to begin talks on signing a reciprocal access agreement (RAA), which will make it easier to hold joint defense exercises between Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the French military, several government officials said.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will visit Paris on Thursday, where he is expected to meet French President Emmanuel Macron and reach an agreement to start talks. The two countries want to strengthen bilateral security ties to counter China’s aggressive maritime expansion.

An RAA defines the legal status of troops from signatory countries while they are in the territory of a partner country, for example for joint training. It exempts them from immigration controls and simplifies procedures for bringing in weapons and ammunition. Japan has already concluded RAAs with Australia and the United Kingdom and is negotiating with the Philippines.

France has territories and military bases in the South Pacific, and like Japan and Australia, the country is very concerned about China, which has increased its military activities in the Indo-Pacific.

Last year, the Ground Self-Defense Force and the French Army conducted joint exercises in New Caledonia, and the Air Self-Defense Force and the French Air and Space Force conducted joint exercises in Miyazaki Prefecture.

The two governments have strengthened ties by concluding the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology Agreement, which allows them to export defense equipment to each other, and the Acquisition and Cross-servicing Agreements, which allow them to export food and fuel exchange for training in each other’s area.

Kishida hopes to further strengthen France’s involvement in the Indo-Pacific region by signing the RAA.