Japan and Australia decide to bolster security cooperation

Tokyo, Sep 5 Highlighting China's growing assertiveness and other security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, Japan and Australia on Friday decided to expand their security ties in several areas - including defence equipment and cyber sphere - during the 2+2 talks held in Tokyo.

While addressing a joint presser following the discussions, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya announced that the two nations will bolster their joint deterrence capabilities considering the "increasingly severe" regional security environment, Kyodo News reported. The minister made the remarks after a meeting that involved him, Japanese Defence Minister General Nakatani and their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles. The two-plus-two meeting was held for the 12th time since the inaugural edition in 2007.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said that the two nations have agreed to elevate the Special strategic partnership, which would lead to more exercises and enhanced cooperation in logistics, cyber and other sectors. After the talks, the leaders of two nations welcomed Australia's selection of the upgraded Mogami-class frigate as the preferred platform for its AUD 10 billion (USD 6.5 billion) programme.

"With the bringing into force of the Reciprocal Access Agreement between our two countries in the middle of 2023 we have literally seen a blossoming of our defence and security relationship. As Gen said, more than 40 activities have now been undertaken under the banner of the RAA. We have seen bilateral activities between ourselves and the United States be trilateralised between our three nations, which has been so important," said Marles.

"We've seen four port visits to Japan from Australian - Royal Australian Navy vessels, and indeed, later this month, HMAS Brisbane, an Australian destroyer will be coming to Yokosuka, and for the first time undergoing maintenance in Japan, which is an enormous step forward in terms of our defence relationship. We're also working much more closely together in terms of our joint operation commands with respective liaison officers in each other's commands, which again greatly brings those two commands more closely together, and enables us to engage in operations much more closely together," he added.

Japanese Defence Minister General Nakatani announced that both nations have agreed to advance cooperation, not only regarding the vessels but across sectors in defence equipment and technology, including collaboration on advanced capabilities such as unmanned systems and accelerating cooperation between defence industries of two nations.

He added: "We also agreed to advance cooperation, not only regarding the vessels themselves, but across a wide range of areas in defence equipment and technology, including collaboration on advanced capabilities such as unmanned systems, as well as accelerating cooperation between our defence industries. As initiatives to enhance the interoperability of the Self Defence Force and the Australian Defence Force, we agreed to advance consultations on the scope, objectives and performances of operational cooperation, and to continue joint exercises across all services and domains."

Penny Wong stated, "We have progressed discussions to elevate Our Special Strategic Partnership. We want greater ambition into new areas of collaboration. We're pleased with the extent of the progress on the cover in our defence cooperation, and we want to do more. But we also know we need to expand our cooperation across economic security, cyber security, the diversification of supply chains – we need to work together to build resilience and respond to emerging threats."

Richard Marles and Penny Wong travelled to Tokyo to attend the 12th Australia-Japan Foreign and Defence Ministers’ Meeting. The two leaders also held bilateral talks with their Japanese counterparts to advance defence and security engagement and shared foreign policy objectives, respectively.

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