Mongolia, Japan to cooperate in defense

　The defense ministry of Mongolia and the defense agency of Japan signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation Wednesday, according to the press service of the Mongolian president's office.

The press service reported that Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj on Wednesday met with visiting Japanese Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa, who was on a two-day visit in Mongolia.

During their meeting, President Elbegdorj said he was happy to see that the first Japanese guest for the 40th anniversary of the Mongolia-Japan diplomatic relations was a Japanese cabinet member.

The president added that he was satisfied with the current cooperation between Mongolia and Japan.

The Japanese minister thanked the Mongolian people for extending help to Japan during a Tsunami disaster. He said the joint declaration on strategic partnership was signed in 2010, and that the signing of the MoU between the defense ministry of Mongolia and the defense agency of Japan has broadened opportunities for cooperation between Mongolia and Japan.

During the meeting, Japanese and Mongolian officials exchanged views on cooperation in defense between the two countries. The officials discussed cooperation in turning a peacekeeping training camp in Mongolia into an international peacekeeping training center, training of Mongolian senior officers in Japanese military schools and academies and cooperation within the framework of the U.N. Peacekeeping operation.