Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says his country will work closely with France on the Group of Seven summit to be held in Hiroshima this coming May.

Kishida appeared at a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron before their talks over dinner on Monday at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris.

Kishida said he wants the summit to be a venue where G7 nations express their resolve to uphold a free and open international order based on the rule of law.

Kishida also said the meeting will give Japan and its G7 partners a chance to show their commitment to strengthening strict sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, as well as strong support for Ukrainians.

On the security front, Kishida said Japan will promote cooperation with France through joint drills and other measures amid an increasingly strained security environment.

He said the security of Europe and that of the Indo-Pacific region are inseparable. He noted that attempts to change the status quo by force have been intensifying in the East China and South China seas.

Kishida said his government will call for "two-plus-two" talks between the foreign and defense ministers of Japan and France by mid-2023 to deepen security cooperation.

Last month, Japan revised its National Security Strategy.