PUTRAJAYA: Japan is ready to lend its expertise to help Malaysia prevent disasters, particularly flooding.
"Malaysia is prone to flooding and damages caused by it," Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
"So we agreed to cooperate, drawing upon Japan's knowledge and experience in disaster prevention," he said following his bilateral meeting with Anwar.
At the end of last year, several states, including Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang, and Terengganu, were hit by severe flooding, displacing thousands of people and causing massive property damage.
The floods also led to a spike in vegetable prices.
Meanwhile, Ishiba also said Japan is ready to engage in strategic and security talks with Malaysia.
He noted growing defence and diplomatic cooperation between the two countries.
"I am glad to see joint exercises between Japan and Malaysia and the steady progress in our cooperation," he said, highlighting ongoing collaboration in cybersecurity as well.
He also expressed support for Malaysia's chairmanship of Asean beginning this year.
"Asean is in a key position between the Indo-Pacific and the Pacific, sharing Japan's values for a free and open Indo-Pacific," he said.
Ishiba welcomed the return of a vice-ministerial-level conference for foreign affairs, marking the first such meeting in nine years.
He said this represents an important step forward in diplomatic and defence talks between the two nations.
On economic matters, both Ishiba and Anwar agreed to strengthen collaboration to ensure the resilience of supply chains.
Ishiba, accompanied by his wife, is on his first official bilateral visit to Malaysia since assuming office in September last year.