Japan and France signed a defense agreement Friday that is expected to pave the way for the implementation of projects between the two countries.

Japan and France signed a defense agreement Friday that is expected to pave the way for the implementation of projects between the two countries.

The agreement will involve the transfer of defense equipment and technology, reported Kyodo news.

In 2014, Japan effectively lifted a self-imposed ban on the overseas transfer of arms and related technology.

At a Tokyo meeting, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, and French counterparts Laurent Fabius and Jean-Yves Le Drian also vowed to step up cooperation in fighting terrorism.

This would be through such means as curbing the flow of foreign militants and terrorist financing, and the formation of terrorist networks, the officials said, according to Kyodo.

The meeting followed the January attack on French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and the killing of two Japanese hostages in the same month by militants of the so-called 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) takfiri group.

The ministers agreed to boost efforts to prevent extremism along with the international community.