Japan vowed to bolster military ties with Australia during a high-ranking visit on Thursday, with Tokyo's top diplomat saying the "likeminded" partners must stick together to combat shared regional threats.
Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defense Minister Minoru Kihara met their Australian counterparts at an old army fort outside Melbourne, striking deals on greater air force cooperation and expanded military exercises.
They also agreed to jointly help the Philippine Coast Guard, which is locked in an escalating tussle with Chinese ships in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.
"Amidst the increasingly difficult security environment in the Indo-Pacific, we need to constantly raise Japan-Australia security cooperation to a new height," Kamikawa said after the meeting, touting a "likeminded partnership".
China's growing economic and military clout in the Asia-Pacific region -- and its assertiveness in territorial disputes -- has rattled the United States and allies such as Japan and Australia.
Tokyo has in recent weeks accused China of deliberately sailing a naval ship through its waters and flying a surveillance plane into its air space.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the meeting raised "serious concerns" about recent "incursions" into Japanese territory.
The meeting produced broad agreements for Japan and Australia to boost air force cooperation, and to join each other in military exercises alongside the United States.
Japan's elite Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade could soon take part in U.S. Marines rotations based in Australia's key northern base near Darwin.
Defense Minister Kihara said Japan was considering whether its fleet of F-35 stealth fighters could be deployed to Australian air fields, but said an agreement on this was yet to be struck.
"As for the rotation of the Air Self-Defense Force aircraft, we would like to continue to have consultations between Australia and Japan," cautioned Kihara.
The two countries promised joint support for the Philippine Coast Guard, although it was unclear what this help would look like.
Japan and northern Australia offer strategically important military gateways to potential flashpoints in the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea and South China Sea.
Both are part of the Quad alliance alongside the United States and India, a grouping seen as a bulwark against Beijing.
Tokyo has recently shown an interest in parts of the landmark AUKUS security accord between Washington, London and Canberra -- particularly helping with the development of advanced military technologies.
Staunchly pacifist for decades, Japan has been ramping up defense spending with U.S. encouragement.
Australia has meanwhile embarked on its own military overhaul, ploughing money into long-range strike capabilities and the development of nuclear-powered submarines.
© 2024 AFP
35 Comments
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Daniel Neagari
It seems like Chine is being succesful in shutting her access to the Pacific... that is her goal right?
nik
announce the entire list of countries that threaten Japan's regional security. Who is threatening Japan?
Mr Kipling
Or should that read...
Japan, Australia boost ties to threaten China?
nik
Fighto.
the dejected and offended are again provoking here. Nobody threatens your country anymore. Because you have already lost it in gambling with the West.
Daniel Neagari
...well incrustion of maritime territory and aereal space of military vessels are a threat...
Let me see... yep... Chine did it (just a couple of days ago a plane, and before that ships,.... so meny ships), Rusia (plane and ships too) and N. Korea (missiles)... so there threats and the list too
zwei fliegen mit einer klappen
JJE
Can't steal sovereignty from a pair of compradors who have already sold it to the lowest bidder - that's for sure.
Daniel Neagari
Yeah, you are right... nik and Mr Kipling that is so true.. a shame
Meiyouwenti
“Who is threatening Japan?”
China, North Korea and Russia. They are all nuclear powers. Increasing security ties with Australia might not work in the event of armed conflicts with these totalitarian countries. Australia is too far away and Australians are such peace-loving people that they may not be good at fighting.
nik
Meiyouwenti
And do these countries by any chance threaten you? Where are you writing from, I wonder? Where and what did you read that you write such nonsense.
isabelle
No.
China, North Korea and Russia, as stated above. But you already knew that.
The Aussies have proved time and time again how tough they are. They don't let their "mates" (as they say) down in a fight.
As is the US, and its nuclear umbrella covers Japan.
TokyoLiving
Puppets..
Pukey2
OFGS, the only thing that's a threat is in their heads.
Who's Japan's biggest trading partner?
Who's Australia's biggest trading partner?
Yeah, let's flush your economy down the drain.
Peter14
Better stated, Allies.
Such a shame China has nobody that wants to ally with them except NK and "maybe" Russia if it suits them to do so. But even NK seems to be gravitating towards Russia these days. China has no idea how to work with others and build true alliances that stand the test of time as the US and UK do.
China is responsible for its own hostile actions and driving others into alliances against it. Japan and Australia will one day become allies and it will be China that makes it possible.
Pukey2
Er, I think the vast majority of the Global Majority are aligned more with China than the colonial west.
Peter14
What an odd statement. I would argue the exact opposite is actually true.
Data
Global Majority ... the neo-gospel jazz fusion band? They don't align with anyone, that's the point of jazz, man.
Strangerland
What a weird comment.
HooKnows
And you'd be wrong. Pardon me while I attempt to hide my shock.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Only because China is offering the predatory loans.
TaiwanIsNotChina
But enough about Russia and China.
JboneInTheZone
Yes. Like it or not we live in a globalized society, where any regional conflict will have far reaching economic and supply chain effects. Keeping aggressive powers like China, Russia, and North Korea in check and dissuading them from conflict ultimately helps maintain the economic stability and prosperity of my country
deanzaZZR
A bedrock of Chinese foreign policy stretching back to the founding of the PRC is no military block formation which gives China maximum freedom in foreign policy. This is (roughly) the same tact that India has pursued. Surely you have heard of the non-aligned movement.
This fact also explains why China has been critical of NATO long before 2014 or 2022. See also NATO bombing of Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia in 1999.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Yes, and if China didn't act like an absolute disgrace in its neighborhood, it might be able to continue to pretend to be peaceful. Also you don't need a military alliance when you are the largest country by population in the world.
JboneInTheZone
Not being involved in military blocks and having friendly relations with neighboring countries aren’t mutually exclusive. The fact that China acts in such aggressive manner while simultaneously having “maximum freedom in foreign policy” is extremely scary
deanzaZZR
If you say so ...
Majority of ASEAN people favor China over U.S., survey finds
https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Majority-of-ASEAN-people-favor-China-over-U.S.-survey-finds
JboneInTheZone
Nice try but I just read this and it’s very misleading. If you actually look at the methodology you’ll see that the survey calculates the average figures for ASEAN as a whole by equal proportion per country, so tiny Brunei, which reliably opts for China over the U.S., gets the same weighting as the far more populous and geopolitically-important Philippines, which is consistently pro-U.S.
deanzaZZR
Yes, it is a survey of SE Asia thought leaders, not plebes like you and I.
JboneInTheZone
No where in your article does it state they only surveyed “thought leaders”, why are you lying
Even if that is the case (it’s not) then do you admit that your earlier comment “Majority of ASEAN people favor China over U.S., survey finds” is inaccurate?
deanzaZZR
This discussion of methodology in one article bores the tears out of me.
If your lens is the pronouncements of Kishda, Yoon and Bong Bong I get where you are coming from. I will be polite and simply refer to them as captured elites and not something less diplomatic. To broaden your perspective see recent actions of and pronouncements from the leaders of Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
JboneInTheZone
Don’t bring up articles to prove your point if you’re not willing to discuss them then.
Again, do you admit that your earlier comment “Majority of ASEAN people favor China over U.S., survey finds” is inaccurate? Were you lying or were you just uninformed on the contents of the article you posted. I’ll wait for your response.
TaiwanIsNotChina
One of the most corrupt and dictatorial regions in the world favors China. Or claims to. Well there is a shocker.
Ricky Kaminski13
Why do we hear heavy rotation woke terminology like colonial West embedded within CCP apologists and propaganda? Hmmmmm
Sarunghakan Feng
They've always wanted to make China, Russia and the rest fall. The West's hegemony pretends to act civilized, when it's mostly just about power. There's no right, or wrong- only WHO is the most. Ever since Britain colonialized China from within, the US wants to ensure that today, the rest of Asia falls behind their line. There's NO democracy, just an oligarchy. They only fool you to pretend otherwise, and everybody FALLS for it! They want to! Because it's not just about "communism" or "dictatorships", it's about racial superiority and economic slavery! EVEN if China changed it's own government, somebody like Putin would rise up and would still push China to the brink of destruction. The West WANTS that. If this comment gets deleted because it's off topic or off somewhat vulgar, it means I speak the truth. They made Japan fall in line after World War 2. They have divided and conquered Russia. Soon enough, they only want the West to rule. Not because it's democratic, but because they want themselves to only be the power around that. And that is truly going to be a nightmare. They wrap themselves in a cloak of righteousness. Like wolves under sheep's clothing.
Ricky Kaminski13
That was marvelous Feng., and thanks for backing up my point. The great ‘THEY’! The OTHER, the evil colonizers of the world that want to see everyone suffer and collapse while ‘they’ reap all the bounty, power and control. It’s comic book stuff mate. Marxist drivel.
As an Aussie we would all prefer to see your beloved China, Russia, Iran and North Korea (you know, the club) NOT acting in bad faith with its neighbors, and to lose these paranoid ideas that the world is out to get you. Yeah and while we are at it, you may also wanna lose that gaping chip on your shoulder (cause by the 100 years of humiliation or whatever other gripes you hold onto) that you use to justify your own belligerent, aggressive behavior. The blindness and lack of self awareness and reflection is always very noteworthy.
We are all sinners! No one wears a clean record when you look back at history, the idea is to look forward in good faith as part of the greater human race, not backwards and definitely not as part of a tribe with an unscratchable itch or some sort of perverted revenge lust. The victim mentality that you so eagerly display, is also part of this woke mind virus that will destroy all sense of nuance, sophistication and intelligence and only makes YOU the awkward one at the global banquet table, not your perceived enemies. Especially when it’s fairly self evident that China has it’s own endgame and ambitions to become the new dominant power in the world. Playing the victim while doing a massive grab for power, territory and resources. All sounds very familiar doesn’t it?
We all want mutual trade, peace and prosperity brother. A free and Open Indo Pacific. A rules based world where everyone can win. Try getting over yourselves for once and check your own behavior and rhetoric.
Cheers.
The free world
PS love your cuisine!
TaiwanIsNotChina
What does that say about your hero China that you admit that your best ally would take advantage of you?