The French government has dispatched an amphibious assault ship and a frigate to the Indian Ocean for joint exercises with Japan, the United States, Australia, Britain and India.
Japan's top government spokesperson has told the mother of an abductee to North Korea that the administration will do its best to seek the prompt return of all Japanese nationals who share the same fate.
Japan and NATO have agreed to take their relationship to another level. The alliance's chief, Jens Stoltenberg, met with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio for talks in Tokyo.
Indonesian coast guard personnel received training provided by their Japanese counterparts on ways to deal with suspicious ships. The instruction took place in the capital Jakarta.
A senior White House official says the United States is considering enhancing defense cooperation with Japan and South Korea amid North Korea's growing threats.
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Chinese President Xi Jinping have met in Bangkok. It marks the first bilateral in person summit for their countries in three years.
The APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) ministerial meeting in Thailand has come to a close, but there are still conflicting views on how to include the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on the region's economy in the ministerial statement, which continues to be coordinated.