ノルウェーと装備協力覚書　木原氏、国防相と会談

　木原稔防衛相は３日、ノルウェーのグラム国防相と防衛省で会談し、防衛協力・交流の深化に向けた緊密な連携で一致した。これに合わせ、両国は防衛装備・技術協力に関する当局間の覚書に署名した。
　会談で、木原氏は「共に海洋国家で、ロシアの東と西に位置し、情勢認識や戦略的利益の点で多くの共通点がある」と強調。グラム氏は「防衛産業の強靱（きょうじん）性を強化し、共同訓練・演習の可能性も追求したい」と応じた。（2024/09/03-18:04）

Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and his Norwegian counterpart, Bjorn Gram, signed on Tuesday a memorandum of understanding on bilateral defense equipment and technology cooperation.
   The two ministers also agreed at their meeting in Tokyo to work closely to deepen defense cooperation and exchange.
   Japan and Norway "have many commonalities in terms of situational awareness and strategic interests, as we are both maritime countries and are situated to the east and west of Russia, respectively," Kihara said in the meeting.
   Gram said he wants to strengthen the resilience of the defense industry and pursue the possibility of joint training and exercises between the two sides' armed forces.
   Kihara expressed strong concerns over the recent intrusion by a Chinese military aircraft into Japanese airspace. The two ministers confirmed their cooperation against any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo.