Japan, Australia boost security ties

Senior government officials from Japan and Australia have agreed to strengthen ties in the face of China’s increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.

Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa and Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu met their respective counterparts Penny Wong and Richard Marles on Friday in Tokyo.

The so-called two-plus-two talks come on the back of a joint security declaration signed by the leaders of both countries in October.

In his opening remarks, Hayashi said the regional security situation is growing more severe.

He pointed to China’s attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force in the East and South China seas, and the possibility of a North Korean nuclear test.

Hayashi cited Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as another destabilizing factor. Hamada said he believes the joint declaration has ushered in a new era of cooperation.

The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a coordinated response to North Korea’s repeated ballistic missile tests.

And they stressed the need for more joint drills between Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the Australian military.

In a joint statement, the two sides suggest they could discuss the possible deployment of the SDF for training in Australia. The move could include Japanese F-35 fighter jets.