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Australia’s top defence and foreign policy leaders pledged Friday to expand cooperation with Japan, describing their partnership as stronger than ever as the two allies confront what they called an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong spoke in Tokyo at the conclusion of high-level “two-plus-two” talks with their Japanese counterparts. Both ministers emphasized that the relationship has reached a historic level of trust and will continue to grow as the region faces mounting security challenges.
“We are two countries which have always shared values as democracies, and not only democracies but countries which are really committed to a global rules-based order,” Marles said. “In the world we’re in today, which is increasingly complex, where the strategic landscape is increasingly difficult, what we are also experiencing between ourselves is the highest level of strategic trust that we have ever had.”
Defence Links Tighten
Marles pointed to the decision announced last month to select Japan’s Mogami-class frigate as Australia’s next general-purpose warship, calling it a “capability-based decision” and the most cost-effective solution for the Australian Navy.
“We chose the Mogami because it was the best frigate for our country,” Marles said. “The consequence of that decision is that it does bring us even closer together. It is obviously a very significant moment in terms of Japan’s defence industry, and we really hope that what comes from that is also a much closer relationship between our respective defence industries.”
The move follows the implementation of the Reciprocal Access Agreement in 2023, which streamlined joint exercises and deployments between the two militaries. Since then, Marles said, more than 40 joint activities have been carried out under the agreement.
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Wong: Strategic Alignment Deepens
Wong, speaking alongside Japanese officials, said both countries recognize the “highly challenging” circumstances facing the Indo-Pacific.
“We do meet at a time where the geostrategic context is highly challenging,” Wong said. “Our partnership is strong, but we can make it stronger. We’re not just partners, we’re friends, and we are more strategically aligned than we have ever been, and our strategic trust is deeper than it has ever been.”
She said the partnership was foundational to maintaining peace in the region through a “multi-layered network of like-minded countries.”
“We are doing more with each other in our relationship, but we are also doing more in our region — in Southeast Asia, in the Pacific,” Wong said. “We’re partners in our region and we’re partners globally.”
50 Years of Friendship
Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Australia and Japan. Both ministers framed Friday’s talks as an opportunity to elevate the relationship to mark the milestone.
“We are very much looking to proceed with ambition today about how we can elevate our special strategic partnership to the next level, and to focus that on how that is given expression in the 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty,” Marles said.
Wong echoed the sentiment, describing the anniversary as “an important moment to strengthen what is already strong.”
Regional Security Concerns
The meeting came as tensions remain high over China’s growing military presence in the South China Sea and its increasing pressure on Taiwan. Both Australia and Japan have deepened security ties with the United States and other partners under frameworks such as the Quad and AUKUS.
Michael Wesley, deputy vice-chancellor at the University of Melbourne, said the growing closeness between Canberra and Tokyo reflects a shared view of the regional threat environment.
“I think they reflect the fact that probably Australia and Japan are each other’s second most important security partner,” Wesley told Sky News Newsday. “The level of strategic agreement is very, very high between Japan and Australia in relation to the threat that they see from China.”
Wesley noted that the Reciprocal Access Agreement marked the first significant defence treaty signed by Japan since 1960, underscoring the importance of the partnership.
Anchors for U.S. Presence
Wesley added that both countries play a crucial role in anchoring the U.S. military presence in the Pacific. “Japan and Australia are the two strongest anchors that allow the United States to base forces in this part of the world, along with Korea and the Philippines,” he said.
He said Japan views Australia as a significant partner in counterbalancing Beijing and ensuring that the U.S. remains engaged in the region.
Balancing Symbolism and Policy
The talks in Tokyo coincided with news that former U.S. President Donald Trump will sign an executive order to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War. Analysts said the change is largely symbolic but could reinforce perceptions of an increasingly confrontational U.S. posture.
Wesley said allies like Japan and Australia will ultimately focus on U.S. capabilities rather than its rhetoric. “What China looks at is the material capabilities of the U.S. military, not what it’s called,” he said. “But it certainly would be taken by some as showing some intent.”
Both Marles and Wong said the focus now is on turning commitments into concrete cooperation, from shipbuilding to joint training and regional capacity-building projects.
Wong highlighted cooperation not just in defence but also in trade, tourism and economic security. “A special strategic partnership means we cooperate across all aspects of government — from defence, but also tourism, trade and other aspects of economic security,” she said.
The ministers are expected to continue discussions throughout the weekend, with visits to Japanese naval facilities planned. Both sides said they intend to announce further initiatives in 2026 to mark the treaty’s 50th anniversary.
Growing Strategic Weight
Analysts said the significance of the Australia-Japan relationship has grown steadily over the past two decades, moving from a primarily economic partnership to a comprehensive strategic alliance. The two nations now conduct regular joint exercises, share intelligence, and coordinate closely in regional forums.
Wesley said the trajectory reflects deepening concern about China’s assertiveness. “The fact that they’ve signed a reciprocal access agreement, which makes it very easy for the Japanese Self-Defence Force and the Australian Defence Force to collaborate and train together — that’s the first significant defence treaty the Japanese have signed since 1960,” he said. “It shows you that the trajectory of Japan-Australian relations over the last 10 to 20 years has been one of growing much more close together strategically.”
With the anniversary of the Basic Treaty approaching, both governments are eager to present the partnership as a cornerstone of regional stability. Marles and Wong said the message from Tokyo was clear: Australia and Japan are aligned, trusted, and committed to a shared vision of peace and security.
“We can make it stronger,” Wong said. “That is the work we will be doing today.”
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