On Suga's overseas debut, Japan, Vietnam agree broadly on defence transfer

Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga (L) shakes hands with Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc after witnessing the exchange of documents at the Government Office in Hanoi, Vietnam October 19, 2020. Nhac Nguyen/Pool via REUTERS

HANOI (Reuters) - Japan and Vietnam agreed on Monday to strengthen security and economic ties, including an agreement in principle for Japan to export military gear and technology to the Southeast Asian nation, amid concerns about China's regional assertiveness.

"It is a big step in the field of security for both countries that we reached an agreement in principle on the transfers of defence equipment and technology," Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters after meeting his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, in Hanoi.