Japan PM to discuss defense, customs deals on Thailand trip

Japan is expected to announce a new defense agreement among several deals with Thailand on Monday during a visit by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the last leg of his three-nation tour of Southeast Asia.

The agreement, details of which have yet to be disclosed, would facilitate transfers of defense hardware and technology from Japan to Thailand, which has one of the region's biggest and most equipped militaries. Noriyuki Shikata, Japan's Cabinet Secretary for Public Affairs, told reporters the two leaders were also expected to sign an agreement to improve customs procedures in Thailand, where Japan is the biggest investor, while Tokyo would extend a 50 billion yen ($384.79 million) loan to support Thailand's COVID mitigation efforts.

Southeast Asia has for decades been a strategic region for Japan, hosting some of the biggest names in the industry, from infrastructure, engineering, and industrial zones to the manufacturing of vehicles and electronics. The region remains a key battleground between the United States, Japan's close ally, and its closest rival China, Southeast Asia's biggest trade partner.

Kishida was due to meet Thai counterpart Prayuth Chan-Ocha in the late afternoon on Monday, before drawing the curtain on a short tour that saw stops in Vietnam and Indonesia, where Japan is also a major investor. Shikata said Kishida would discuss with Prayuth the position of Southeast Asian countries on the conflict in Ukraine and express Japan's support for the region's efforts to address the crisis in Myanmar following a coup last year.

($1 = 129.9400 yen)

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