Japan, France begin informal talks on access deal for joint drills

Japan and France have started informal talks on a deal that would enhance interoperability and collaboration between the armed forces of both countries, the French ambassador to Japan said Monday.The early-stage discussion for the so-called Reciprocal Access Agreement comes as Paris has island territories in the Indo-Pacific region, where China's military influence is growing.If France enters into official negotiations with Japan, it will become the third country for Tokyo after Australia and Britain. The Japanese Foreign Ministry declined to comment on whether such talks have started."We w…READ FULL ARTICLE