Japanese Defence Minister visits OSCE, discusses strengthening future interaction

Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera visited the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna on 30 July 2013 to discuss current co-operation with the Organization and explore ways to strengthen it in the future.

The meeting looked at the OSCE's successful model for building confidence at regional level, including in the political and military field. Participants discussed how increased dialogue and co-operation among defence sector officials and experts can contribute to the security environment at large, including in Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian regions.

Also under discussion were other key aspects of the OSCE’s work, such as the Helsinki+40 process which is presently mapping out ways to meet future security challenges and threats emanating outside the OSCE region, including those related to the withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from Afghanistan after 2014.

Japan has been an OSCE Asian Partner for Co-operation since 1992. It has been actively engaged in the work of the Organization, especially through its support for projects benefiting Central Asian participating States and Afghanistan, such as the Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe.