Japan-Australia Relations

On August 3, commencing at 11:30 a.m. for approximately 40 minutes, Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs, who is visiting Singapore to attend Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-related Foreign Ministers' Meetings, held a' meeting with the Hon Julie Bishop, MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of Australia, who is staying in Singapore. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

1. At the beginning, Minister Bishop stated that Japan and Australia share a common view in terms of aiming to realize a free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, and explained that collaborationbetween the two countries is close as a result of the visits to Japan this year of the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, Prime Minister of Australia, in January and the Hon Steven Ciobo MP, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment of Australia, in July. In response, Minister Kono expressed this hopes to coordinate well in order to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific. 
2. The two foreign ministers exchanged views on North Korea, and confirmed they will cooperate toward realizing the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement (CVID) of all weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges, along with sharing the view that it will be important to fully implement the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, and confirming that Japan and Australia will cooperate on dealing with North Korea, including measures to tackle "ship-to-ship transfers."
3. In addition, the two foreign ministers exchanged views on the bilateral relationship, and on collaboration between Japan and Australia in regard to the South China Sea and the Pacific island countries.