The Yomiuri Shimbun reported on its front page that a draft amendment to the Japan-India Security Cooperation Joint Statement has been made public. It will include new cooperation in the fields of economic security, defense industry, and cyberspace.

Multiple government officials revealed. Prime Minister Ishiba and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is scheduled to visit Japan, are set to meet on the 29th and exchange the revised document. The joint statement was signed in 2008 and has been revised to address new security challenges that have emerged over the past 17 years.

In terms of economic security, new provisions will be added to strengthen supply chains (supply networks) including critical minerals and to counter "economic coercion." It keeps in mind that China is using export restrictions on rare earths (rare earths) as a "weapon."

In the defense industry, it is said that cooperation will be carried out in the joint development and production of equipment and technology. It also plans to include joint research and development in new areas such as cyberspace, artificial intelligence (AI), and semiconductors, as well as promoting collaboration among industry, government, and academia.

Aside from effectively utilizing the Agreement of Cooperation for the Supply of Goods and Services (ACSA), which comes into effect in 2021, cooperation in preventing chemical and biological weapons will also be discussed.

The revision also proposes to strengthen the cooperation and dialogue framework between Japan and India, such as deepening the Quad framework of Japan, the US, Australia, and India.

It recognizes that China has repeatedly taken "coercive actions" in the South China Sea and other regions between Japan and India, and emphasizes the importance of efforts to maintain maritime order "on the basis of the rule of law."

Additionally, the Yomiuri Shimbun conducted a nationwide survey from the 22nd to the 24th. The approval rate for the Ishiba Cabinet is 39%, an increase of 17 percentage points compared to the emergency survey immediately after the July House of Representatives election (22%), when both the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito suffered heavy losses. The disapproval rate is 50% (previous was 67%). The increase in the cabinet's approval rating compared to the last survey is the largest since the start of the phone surveys in 2008, excluding the time of prime ministerial change.

Regarding the results of the House of Representatives election, 42% of respondents said they "believe" that Prime Minister Ishiba should resign (previous was 54%), while 50% of respondents said "I don't think so" (previous was 35%), which is the opposite of the previous survey.

86% of respondents supported the Prime Minister's policy on rice production adjustment and increasing production. The Prime Minister expressed willingness to announce his views on war, including verification of war, with 58% "in favor" and 27% "against." So far, 42% of respondents evaluated the Japanese government's negotiations with the Trump administration regarding U.S. tariff measures (29% in the June survey), and 48% of respondents "did not evaluate" (same survey was 56%).

Party support rates: Liberal Democratic Party 23% (previous July survey 19%), Komeito 12% (12%), Constitutional Democratic Party 7% (8%), Nippon Ishin no Kai 12% (12%), and Public Party 4% (4%).

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841381106856012/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.