Tokyo, Jun 11, 2022, SPA -- Japan and Singapore will start negotiations to reach a deal on the transfer of defense equipment and technology, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Saturday, Kyodo reported. During a summit meeting, Kishida and Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong agreed on the launch and jointly defend the rules-based order. Japan has been deepening ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as it promotes a "free and open" Indo-Pacific, with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam among the 12 nations that Japan has signed similar defense equipment transfer agreements with. "Japan is resolved to reinforce cooperation with like-minded nations including Singapore in bringing new developments toward a free and open Indo-Pacific," Kishida told a joint press briefing with Lee. "We agreed to move toward more concrete security cooperation." --SPA 23:32 LOCAL TIME 20:32 GMT 0013 www.spa.gov.sa/w1745191