Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, right, and Malaysian Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin shake hands at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo. — Photo The Yomiuri Shimbun/ANN

TOKYO — Japan has signed an agreement to provide Malaysia with a ¥1.65 billion system to counter unmanned aerial vehicles under its Official Security Assistance framework, which offers defence equipment to like-minded countries free of charge.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin inked the deal during their meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo.

Under the agreement, the Royal Malaysian Navy will use radar and cameras to detect and identify suspicious drones before capturing them with nets. It is the first time such a system has been provided under the OSA framework.

The move aims to strengthen surveillance capabilities along sea lanes amid China’s increasing maritime assertiveness.

The peninsular portion of Malaysia is on the Strait of Malacca, a crucial maritime chokepoint. Malaysia maintains deep economic ties with China as its top trading partner, even as the two nations remain at loggerheads over territorial issues in the South China Sea.

Japan hopes to help stabilie regional maritime order by supporting the enhancement of Malaysia’s surveillance capabilities. — THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN/ANN