Australia-Japan to bolster defence ties amid China's rise

The leaders of Australia and Japan held in-person talks on Tuesday to bolster defense ties between the two US allies to counter China’s growing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region amid the transition in American leadership. During the talks in Tokyo, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Japanese counterpart, Yoshihide Suga, were expected to further discuss the deal, though it was not immediately clear whether it would be finalized. They were also expected to discuss the coronavirus and the economy, Japanese officials said.

If signed, the deal would be Japan’s first such pact since the 1960 status of forces agreement with the United States, which set bases for about 50,000 American troops to operate in and around Japan under the Japan-US security pact. Japan is committed to maintaining and deepening its 60-year-old alliance with the US as the cornerstone of its diplomacy and security, but has in recent years sought to complement its regional defense by stepping up cooperation with others, especially Australia, amid China’s growing maritime activity that has spread from the East and South China seas and beyond.

Japan considers Australia as a semi-ally and the two countries signed a defense cooperation agreement in 2007, a first for Japan with a country other than the US. The two nations agreed on the sharing of military supplies in 2013, expanding the deal in 2017 to include munitions after Japan eased restrictions on arms equipment transfers. Japan has initiated a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” vision of economic and security cooperation as a counter to China’s influence, and recently hosted foreign ministerial talks among the countries known as the Quad that also include the US, Australia and India.