Japanese Defense Minister Koizumi visits South Korea for talks on defense cooperation
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- Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi arrived in Seoul for a two-day visit to discuss defense cooperation with his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-back.
- The visit follows a positive trend in bilateral relations and aims to expand defense exchanges, including potential regular refueling support for South Korea's Black Eagles aerobatic team.
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Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is visiting South Korea for talks with his counterpart Ahn Gyu-back, aiming to boost defense cooperation. The visit comes amid positive bilateral relations and follows a previous incident where Japan denied refueling support for South Korea's aerobatic team over territorial claims.
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, June 27 (Yonhap) -- Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi arrived in South Korea on Saturday for talks with Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, as the two countries seek to step up cooperation and exchanges at the defense level.
Koizumi's two-day trip to Seoul -- his first in his current capacity -- comes amid a continued positive momentum in bilateral relations and reciprocates Ahn's visit to Yokosuka near Tokyo in January for bilateral talks.
Koizumi began his trip by visiting the Seoul National Cemetery and paying respects to fallen soldiers.
Later in the day, Koizumi was set to join Ahn on a visit to an Air Force base in the eastern provincial city of Wonju, home to South Korea's Black Eagles aerobatic team.
Their visit to the unit draws attention because Japan had rejected South Korea's request for refueling support for the Black Eagles en route to an air show in Dubai in November last year.
It took issue with one of the team's aircraft after it took part in a routine drill over South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo, over which Japan has long laid territorial claims.
Ahn and Koizumi agreed to settle the issue during their phone talks in December and the Black Eagles received refueling support at a Japanese air base in Okinamwa in late January. It was the first refueling of a South Korean military aircraft by Japanese forces.
The two ministers will hold bilateral talks on Sunday, less than a month after their previous bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a defense forum in Singapore.
A focal point of their talks would be how the two sides will build on this momentum to further expand defense cooperation.
Last week, a Japanese news outlet reported that the ministers may discuss the possibility of Japan's Air Self-Defense Force providing regular refueling support to the Black Eagles.
Observers say that Japan is seeking to create space for expanded future military cooperation with South Korea, as Seoul remains cautious amid lingering public unease over direct military ties.
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Japan's Air Self-Defense Force may provide regular refueling support to the Black Eagles.
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Offene Fragen
- Will Japan provide regular refueling support to the Black Eagles?
- How will Seoul manage public unease over direct military ties?
