- Japan and New Zealand signed two defense agreements to share supplies, facilities, and classified information
- The pacts support joint training, exercises, and humanitarian and disaster-response operations
- Both nations emphasized Indo-Pacific security, U.S. engagement, and closer cooperation amid regional tensions
Japan and New Zealand have strengthened their defense relationship through the signing of two agreements aimed at improving military interoperability as well as cooperation. The accords, sealed in Tokyo in December 2025, were signed by Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi together with New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins.
The first agreement, the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), allows the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to exchange supplies such as food, fuel, ammunition, and medical provisions. It also permits both forces to utilize each other’s military facilities during joint activities.
Collins said, “Our forces already work well together, and this [ACSA] agreement will create the conditions for even more seamless cooperation”.
This collaboration backs practical cooperation among others such as refueling at sea plus the mutual provision of logistics during exercises, humanitarian aid, and disaster relief operations. The second agreement forms the basis for the secure sharing and handling of classified information, further enabling joint planning and coordination.
Also Read: Japan to Test Deep Sea Rare Mining to Cut China Reliance
New Zealand officially became the tenth nation to enter into an ACSA agreement with Japan. This pact was almost immediately after Japan had a similar one with the Netherlands and it further included the already existing ones with Australia, India, the Philippines, and the United States as partners.
Before the signing, Shinjiro Koizumi the Japanese Defense Minister had a meeting with Collins and voiced his concerns about the military provocations from the part of China and Russia. Both countries agreed to work together to improve the opportunities for joint training, primarily the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the NZDF.
Motegi and Collins also reported on economic security, regional challenges, and the necessity of continuous U.S. presence in the Indo-Pacific. They reaffirmed their intentions to advance bilateral defense cooperation within the framework of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
Collins pointed to the growing number of joint activities like naval patrols and multilateral exercises, and the cooperation through the U.S.-led Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters noted, “Japan is a crucial partner for New Zealand. In these times of increasing international tension, strengthening interoperability with our partners is vital as we work to uphold the international rules-based order and maintain regional security and prosperity”.