Tokyo: Japan and Australia are preparing to issue a new declaration on bilateral security cooperation when leaders of the two countries meet later this month, Japanese government sources said Monday.

Tokyo aims to further enhance its defense cooperation with Canberra to counter China’s growing influence in the South Pacific, as well as in the East China Sea and South China Sea.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a meeting of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party that he will meet with his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, in Perth, Western Australia, Saturday.

“The meeting will give me an opportunity to discuss ways to help key players in a free and open Indo-Pacific work together on regional security and economic cooperation,” Kishida said.

The new declaration is expected to feature a deepening of the special strategic partnership between Japan and Australia and an expansion of the two countries’ security cooperation.

China earlier this year concluded a security pact with the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, an important area for Australia in terms of security.

The existing Japan-Australia joint declaration on security cooperation was signed in March 2007 by then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and then Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

The 2007 declaration included cooperation on the fight against international crimes, including terrorism and drug trafficking, a closer security relationship, and joint efforts to tackle North Korea’s nuclear and missile development.

It did not include phrases that could antagonize Beijing, as the Howard administration placed importance on economic ties with China.

Tokyo and Canberra have already signed an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement, which allows Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the Australian military to mutually supply fuel, ammunition and other goods, and another agreement stipulating the legal status of SDF personnel and Australian troops while in each other’s territories.

Together with the United States and India, the two are also reinforcing their collaboration within the four-way framework known as Quad.

JIJI Press