CORNWALL (England): Japanese Prime Minister SUGA Yoshihide and his Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, agreed Sunday to oppose economic coercion and unilateral attempts to change the status quo, in a thinly veiled warning against China.

The two leaders also reaffirmed bilateral cooperation to realize the Japan-proposed free and open Indo-Pacific initiative.

The agreements were reached at their meeting over breakfast in a seaside resort in Cornwall, southwestern England, held on the sidelines of the thee-day summit meeting of the Group of Seven key industrialized nations through the same day.

Australia is not a member of the G-7 club, but Morrison participated in some sessions of the summit meeting as a guest at the invitation of the British government.

Earlier in June, Japan and Australia held an online “two-plus-two” meeting of their foreign and defense ministers and confirmed that Australian military vessels and aircraft are included in the scope of military assets protected by Japan’s Self-Defense Forces.

Following the confirmation, Suga and Morrison agreed to promote bilateral security cooperation steadily.

The two leaders also agreed that their countries will support other Asian nations’ efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and announced a Japan-Australia partnership on decarbonization through technologies, setting out specific steps of cooperation.

Later on Sunday, Suga held talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. They shared serious concerns over the situation in the East China Sea and agreed to work together toward a free and open Indo-Pacific.

JIJI Press