Japan to provide radar system for Mongolian air force as security aid www.english.kyodonews.net
Japan will provide Mongolia's air force with an air traffic control radar system in its first provision of official security assistance to the strategically important, landlocked nation between China and Russia.
The project under the defense aid framework, which is intended to help Japan deepen security ties with like-minded nations, will cost 1.3 billion yen ($8.7 million) in total, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
Japanese Ambassador to Mongolia Masaru Igawahara and Mongolian Defense Minister Sandag Byambatsogt signed documents regarding the radar provision earlier this month in Ulaanbaatar, the ministry said in a press release.
It will take a few years for the radar system to become operational, a ministry official said.
The move came after the two governments signed an agreement in December to enable the transfer of defense equipment and technology between them. The deal took effect the following month.
Mongolia, which is heavily dependent on China and Russia in terms of economic ties and energy, became the 16th country to strike such a deal with Japan.
The agreements outline procedures for exporting and importing defense goods to ensure controls over subsequent trade with third parties and uses beyond their original purpose.
The radar project will "strengthen the situational awareness and air traffic control capabilities" of the Mongolian military and "contribute to ensuring security and safe use of the airspace based on the rule of law" in Mongolia and the region, the ministry said.
Sharing fundamental values such as freedom, democracy and rule of law, Japan and Mongolia are cooperating in security and other areas under a "special strategic partnership for peace and prosperity," according to the ministry.
Tokyo launched the defense aid scheme in 2023 aimed at upholding peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and creating "a security environment desirable for Japan," amid concerns over China's intensifying military activities in the area.
Under the draft budget for fiscal 2025, the government would allocate 8.1 billion yen for the security assistance budget, although the recipients have yet to be determined. The figure is up more than 60 percent from 5 billion yen for the current fiscal 2024 through March
Published Date:2025-02-24