France and Japan support a 'free and open maritime order' in the Asia-Pacific region, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said after talks with French President Francois Hollande yesterday.<br/><br/>Mr. Abe informed media that Mr. Francois and he agreed on the importance of ensuring a free and open maritime order in the Indo-Pacific region and continuing to support the stability and prosperity of this region. Mr. Abe underlined the importance of separate naval exercises involving personnel or equipment from Japan, France, Britain and the United States to be held around Tinian island in the western Pacific in May. <br/><br/>Hollande said France reaffirmed its support for an increased Japanese peace-keeping role and said the two countries would work together to improve the ability of their forces to cooperate. Reflecting concerns over rising protectionist sentiment in the United States and elsewhere, Mr. Abe said Japan and France wanted to continue to be champions of free trade and said an agreement on a free-trade pact with the European Union would send an important message.