Japan is planning to begin talks with France on a new security agreement to facilitate joint exercises and disaster relief operations, government sources said Wednesday.Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to discuss the pact, known as a reciprocal access agreement, during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday, according to the sources.Japan has been stepping up efforts to strengthen security relations with like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific region, apparently to enhance deterrence against China's growing military assertiveness in nearby waters.Fran…READ FULL ARTICLE