Japan's Defense Minister Nakatani Gen has agreed with his Indonesian counterpart to step up bilateral cooperation in the field of maritime security.

Nakatani met with Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin in the capital Jakarta on Tuesday.

Nakatani told him that modernizing the Indonesian navy to bolster its deterrence capability will contribute to the region's peace and stability. Parts of Indonesia's coastline face the Strait of Malacca, which is also an important shipping lane for Japan.

The two ministers agreed on the need to boost security cooperation to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific, amid China's increasingly aggressive maritime activities.

They agreed to begin working-level talks for the transfer of defense equipment and technological cooperation, including the joint development of a naval ship. The talks will cover strengthening cooperation between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the Indonesian military. The ministers also confirmed that the two countries will engage in joint drills and exchanges of senior personnel.

Nakatani told reporters later that Indonesia is very important strategically for Japan due to its proximity to a vital shipping lane, so boosting maritime security cooperation is essential. He said the meeting was significant as it smoothed the path for future defense cooperation ahead of the upcoming summit talks.

Japan's Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru will visit Indonesia for talks with President Prabowo Subianto later this week.