Japan and Mongolia have signed a memorandum to step up their defense cooperation.

Japan's Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa met Mongolian Defense Minister Luvsanvandan Bold in Mongolia's capital Ulan Bator on Wednesday.

The 2 ministers exchanged views on Asian security and agreed on the need for China to play a key role in establishing and maintaining regional peace and stability.

On North Korea, with which Mongolia has diplomatic ties, the ministers agreed to monitor developments following the death of the North's former leader Kim Jong Il. Ichikawa also sought Mongolia's help toward resolving the North's abductions of Japanese nationals.

The ministers later signed the memorandum calling for meetings between the 2 countries' vice defense ministers, exchange between Japan's Self-Defense Forces units and Mongolian troops, and cooperation in disaster relief and UN peacekeeping operations.

NHK correspondents say Japan is eager to step up defense ties with Mongolia, which shares long borders with Russia and China, to counter China's military buildup.

Source: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120111_25.html

Image credit: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/images/20111221p2g00m0dm046000p_size8.jpg