Counter Terrorism

The First Japan-Australia-India-U.S. (Quad) Counterterrorism Working Group Meeting was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, from December 19 to 21, and was attended by His Excellency Mr. SUGIYAMA Akira, the Representative of the Government of Japan and Ambassador in charge of International Cooperation for Counter Terrorism and International Organized Crime as the Head of Delegation of Japan.

The Working Group discussed exchanging information on ever-evolving terrorism threats, further developing regional coordination mechanisms including aid coordination, and countering terrorist use of emerging technologies. A tabletop exercise focused on enhancing Quad cooperation in response to an overwhelming terrorist incident in the Indo-Pacific region, was also conducted.

The establishment of the Quad Counterterrorism Working Group, which is to explore cooperation amongst the Quad, and with Indo-Pacific partners, to counter new and emerging forms of terrorism, radicalization to violence and violent extremism, was announced at the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in March 2023.