Japan, Australia agree to deepen security ties to deter China

The defense ministers of Japanjaapnjap and Australia agreed to step up cooperation, a day after Chinese military aircraft locked their radars onto Japanese Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets southeast of Okinawa’s main island.

Chinese J-15 aircraft from the carrier Liaoning intermittently locked radar onto the F-15s on two occasions, once in the afternoon and again in the evening, according to Japan’s Defense Ministry.

“The events last night are concerning, and Australia has also experienced concerning events in interactions” with China, Richard Marles told his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi in Tokyo at the start of their talks that were initially open to the media.

“To assert the rules-based order in this region, and we will do it resolutely,” Marles, who also serves as deputy prime minister, stated, Australia will support Japan.

Koizumi described the radar accidents as exceedingly unfortunate and dangerous. Japan is going to “continue responding to such acts in a calm yet resolute manner for peace and stability in the region,” he stated.

Since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated in response to parliamentary questioning on November 7 that a military attack on Taiwan may create a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, bringing sharp reaction from Beijing, Japan and China have been embroiled in an intensifying confrontation.

China framed her remarks as indicating that Japan could independently authorize the Self-Defense Forces to act in support of the United States should China impose a maritime blockade on Taiwan or engage in other forms of coercion.

China insists that the Taiwan issue is purely an “internal affair.”

During a joint press conference, Marles said, “We do not want to see any change to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait,” while Koizumi stressed the need for good communication between the Japanese and Chinese defense authorities.

The two countries also agreed to set up a Framework for Strategic Defense Coordination, led by the defense ministers, to consult on a wide range of policy issues, including intelligence gathering, industry, technology, cyber and missile defense, they said.

Earlier Sunday, Marles inspected a Patriot Advanced Capability-3 surface-to-air missile defense system on the defense ministry’s premises in Tokyo.

In August, Australia selected upgraded Japanese Mogami-class vessels as the preferred platform for its new fleet. The country is expected to procure a total of 11 vessels, with the first three likely to be built by Japan.