From left:Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong,Defence Minister Richard Marles,Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida,Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada in Tokyo on Friday.Credit:AP
“My intent is to grow defence industry integration with Japan:bilaterally,through our trilateral mechanisms with the United States,and,when ready,via our advanced capabilities work in AUKUS as well,” he said.
While there is no prospect of Japan acquiring nuclear-powered submarines under the pact,it could be included in the separate AUKUS work on undersea capabilities,cyber,quantum computing and artificial intelligence.
Marles said both Japan and Australia had benefited from the United States’ network of alliances in the Asia-Pacific.
“But now we are poised to build the Japan-Australia relationship as a powerful force in its own right,” he said. “Australia’s relationship with Japan is foundational.”
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A major Pentagon report released last week said China had doubled its nuclear arsenal in two years,while its military had increased “unsafe” and “unprofessional” military behaviour,especially in the Taiwan Strait.
Marles said China’s massive military expansion was drawing Australia and Japan into an increasingly tight bond after being enemies in World War II.