Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has called Japan and New Zealand "natural partners" who stand "side by side" as he wrapped up his trip to the country last night.
Luxon will be returning to New Zealand with a new security agreement with Japan.
The agreement allowed the two countries to share a "wider range" of information with each other.
Earlier, Luxon had also pledged to send ships and planes to monitor North Korea and ensure it wasn’t breaking UN-imposed sanctions.
The two leaders also agreed to accelerate talks toward signing a pact that would allow the two countries' forces to share logistical support and supplies during bilateral training and other operations.
Under Japan's 2022 national security strategy, the country has been accelerating its military buildup and expanding defence partnerships amid threats from China, North Korea and Russia.
At a speech in Tokyo, the Prime Minister highlighted the need for pacts such as the one signed to ensure stability in the Asia Pacific Region.
"International rules and multilateral organisations have provided a foundation for all global voices, large and small, to be heard and treated fairly.
"And it supports what we hold dear – sovereignty, free and open markets, democracy, and human rights," Luxon said.
He said these values were now "facing challenges" as "new geostrategic realities" have made the region "more complicated, more chaotic, and more challenging to navigate".
"We can no longer take for granted the ability of the rules-based international order to deliver progress, safeguard our ambition, or protect our interests," he said.
Luxon pledged that New Zealand would be "active and engaged", working with Japan to help maintain global and regional security.
"We cannot afford not to.
"I want us to exchange strategic perspectives more. I want us to do more together on defence, including more bilateral and plurilateral exercises."
He discussed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and said President Vladimir Putin’s current visit to North Korea "underlines the interconnection between what happens in Europe, and stability in our region".
Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un yesterday signed an agreement that pledged mutual aid if either country faces "aggression" at a summit held at a time when both face escalating standoffs from the West.
Regarding China, Luxon mentioned tensions in the South China Sea and said a serious escalation would have “profound consequences” for Japan and New Zealand.
Luxon closed the speech by talking about the efforts to build resilience in the Pacific Islands region.
"As shorelines erode, and extreme weather events intensify, livelihoods and resilience are impacted. Vulnerable states find it harder to navigate the swirling and contested times.
"It is why New Zealand is working alongside Japan and other close partners on improving infrastructure, connectivity, and resilience in the Pacific Islands. Including at the upcoming Japan Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting, or PALM, in July
"Working together is key. That is why my visit this week is so important," he said.
— additional reporting by Associated Press
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