Facing China's maritime assertiveness and the threat from North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, the defense ministers of Japan and Australia agreed Wednesday to deepen security cooperation.
The ministers met in Tokyo a day before "two-plus-two" security talks between the countries' foreign and defense ministers, during which they are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation as well as trilateral coordination with the United States.
"As the security environment in our region becomes more severe, I think the importance of defense cooperation between Japan and Australia is increasing," Defense Minister Tomomi Inada told her Australian counterpart Marise Payne at the outset of the meeting.