Japan and Canada have agreed to officially begin talks towards signing an agreement for the exchange of military intelligence information, as their foreign ministers on Tuesday adopted a work plan to enhance cooperation in the fields of defense, economic security, and other areas amid increasing threats from China and Russia. The launch of official talks on an intelligence-sharing agreement, or a public security information agreement, is part of a work plan announced by Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his Canadian counterpart Mélanie Joly, following their talks in Tokyo. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the two sides aim to reach an agreement "as soon as possible" to facilitate information exchange and strengthen cooperation between their militaries. Japan has also sought to deepen defense cooperation beyond its main ally, the United States, in recent years in response to China's growing assertiveness in the region, as well as increasing concerns that Russia's invasion of Ukraine could embolden Beijing. Japan has similar agreements for intelligence sharing with eight countries, including the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, India, South Korea, as well as NATO. Also, on Tuesday, Japan and Canada agreed to expand and deepen their military relations through joint exercises between the two countries as well as with the United States. They emphasized the importance of working together to secure the rules-based international order and pledged to realize the vision of a "free and open Indo-Pacific region," which Japan has been promoting alongside the United States and other democracies that share concerns over China's growing influence in the region. Joly said that Canada's strategy for the Indo-Pacific region "will aim to complement the efforts made by like-minded partners, including Japan's vision." Japan, which suffers from resource scarcity, is also seeking further cooperation with Canada to secure liquefied natural gas supplies. Japan and Canada agreed to enhance technical exchanges regarding nuclear technology, including those related to small modular reactors that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has ordered a government committee to study as a potential option for future development. In the same context, shortage of energy supplies and rising utility costs, in addition to the pressure to achieve the 2050 carbon neutrality target, have led Kishida's government to focus more on nuclear energy after years of shutting down many Japanese nuclear plants following the Fukushima disaster in 2011.