Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak agreed Monday to launch negotiations for cooperation on the transfer of defense equipment and technology in the fields of maritime security and disaster relief amid the rise of China, according to Kyodo News Agency.

It is the first time that Japan has agreed to start such negotiations with a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, according to Japanese officials.

"We agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to a 'strategic partnership.' As part of specific measures, we agreed to cooperate in defense equipment, as well as maritime safety through increased assistance to (Malaysia's) Maritime Enforcement Agency," Abe said in a joint news conference with Najib after their meeting in Tokyo.