TOKYO: Japan and Australia will hold a so-called “two-plus-two” security meeting in Australia on Thursday, Japanese Defense Minister KIHARA Minoru said Friday.

Tokyo and Canberra are expected to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening collaboration at a time when China is stepping up hegemonic behavior in the Indo-Pacific region. The two sides are also expected to vow deeper security cooperation such as expanding joint drills.

Japan will be represented by Foreign Minister KAMIKAWA Yoko and Kihara and Australia by Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defense Minister Richard Marles.

The coming talks will be the first two-plus-two security meeting between Japan and Australia since December 2022. The two countries considered holding such a meeting in October last year but decided to forgo the plan because of the deteriorating situation in the Middle East.

JIJI Press