Kishida on defense to maintain peace

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio made the pledge during a speech at a graduation ceremony at the National Defense Academy in Yokosuka, near Tokyo, on Saturday.

In his speech, Kishida said the government is aiming to boost its diplomatic and defense capabilities to maintain peace and deter security emergencies. He said the government will be united in its effort to achieve targets laid out in three documents on Japan’s national security.

About 400 students graduated from the academy this fiscal year ending this month. Of those, 35 have declined to join the Self-Defense Forces. That’s down 11 from the previous year.