Japan, Australia Agree to Boost Security Ties amid Tensions

Tokyo, Dec. 7 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Australian counterpart, Richard Marles, agreed on Sunday to deepen security cooperation in light of China’s increasingly coercive actions in the East and South China seas. At their meeting at the Japanese Defense Ministry in Tokyo, the ministers confirmed progress toward concluding a contract by the end of this fiscal year through next March for the Australian Navy’s plan to introduce an upgraded version of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Mogami-class frigate. Referring to the incident in which Chinese military aircraft locked radar onto Air SDF fighter jets on Saturday, Koizumi said at the beginning of the meeting, “We will respond firmly and calmly to the incident toward ensuring regional peace and stability.” Marles said that this is a very worrying situation and that Australia will work together with Japan to respond. It was the second meeting between the two ministers since they met last month in Malaysia. On Saturday, Marles visited Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.’s Nagasaki shipyard in southwestern Japan that makes Mogami-class frigates. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]