Press Releases
Japan-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
May 5, 2021
Japan-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
On May 5, commencing at 11:50 a.m. (local time: on May 5 at 7:50 p.m. Japan time) for 20 minutes, Mr. MOTEGI Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a Japan-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with Senator the Hon Marise Payne, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of Australia, during his visit to the United Kingdom, to attend the Meeting of G7 Foreign and Development Ministers. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
- At the outset, Minister Motegi mentioned that the range of cooperation between Japan and Australia has been steadily expanding, as shown by the development of security and defense cooperation, as well as in the economic field, cooperation on clean energy including Hydrogen, and confirmed that he would work with Minister Payne to continue to develop the bilateral relationship. In this context, the two Ministers confirmed that they would continue coordination with a view to hold the next Japan-Australia Foreign and Defense Ministerial Consultations (“2+2”) at an early timing.
- In addition, the two Ministers welcomed the fruitful discussions at the Japan-Australia-India-U.S. Leaders’ Video Conference in March and confirmed the importance to continue to accumulate concrete cooperation. They also concurred that Japan and Australia would promote cooperation with other relevant countries including Southeast Asia and Pacific Island countries towards realizing a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific.”
- The two Ministers also exchanged views and shared serious concerns regarding matters such as China's unilateral attempts to change the status quo and the situation in Hong Kong.