Japan, Thailand to increasingly exchange knowledge on disaster relief

BANGKOK, July 12 (TNA) - A Japanese military attaché has proposed more meetings with Thai authorities to exchange knowledge on disaster relief because both allied countries faced natural disasters last year. Colonel Hiroshi Shimohata, the Japanese military attaché to Thailand, said at a party held in Bangkok Thursday to commemorate the 58th anniversary of Japan's Self-Defense Forces that Japan would like to send more experts to future meetings on disaster relief in Thailand, after Tokyo sent a speaker to attend such the first meeting organized by Bangkok last month to exchange relevant experiences. Colonel Hiroshi revealed that he has also discussed ideas on useful disaster relief projects with Thai students in Japan, especially those at the National Defense Academy of Japan, and he hopes such projects will be realized in the future. Regarding Japan’s relations with Southeast Asia, the Japanese military attaché said Tokyo strongly intends to maintain stability in the region and has, therefore, financially supported Southeast Asian nations in their potential enhancement projects, including vocational training projects. The Japan Self-Defense Forces were founded on July 1, 1954, simultaneously with the Japanese Ministry of Defense, with three key elements, including the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. (TNA)