Countries & Regions

On Wednesday, October 9, commencing at 2:10 p.m. (3:10 p.m. on Wednesday, October 9, JST) for approximately 40 minutes, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a Japan-Australia Summit Meeting with the Hon Tony Abbott MP, Prime Minister of Australia, during his visit to Brunei to attend ASEAN-related summit meetings. An overview of the meeting is as follows.

1　Opening remarks

Prime Minister Abe once again congratulated Prime Minister Abbott on his appointment as Prime Minister, and said he was happy to be able to meet Prime Minister Abbott directly so soon after his appointment. Prime Minister Abe said the Government of Japan attaches importance to Australia, with which it shares the same fundamental values and strategic interests, and that he wants to cooperate with Prime Minister Abbott to further advance the “strategic partnership” between Japan and Australia and to elevate the bilateral relations to “a new stage.” Prime Minister Abbott said that Australia also values its relationship with Japan as Australia’s “best friend in Asia,” and that he was happy to be able to meet Prime Minister Abe at this early stage. Prime Minister Abbott said he wants to jointly engage further in strengthening Japan-Australia relations going forward, and that he wants Prime Minister Abe to visit Australia in the near future.  

2　Bilateral relations

(1) Prime Minister Abe welcomed the holding of the ministerial meeting of the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue (TSD) between Japan, the U.S. and Australia for the first time in around four years during the previous week, along with stating that he wants to advance Japan-Australia and Japan-Australia-U.S. security cooperation, building upon  results on the basis of the Japan-Australia Acquisition and Cross-servicing Agreement (ACSA) and the Japan-Australia Information Security Agreement (ISA), which entered into force earlier this year. Prime Minister Abe also explained his efforts on Japan’s security policies. Prime Minister Abbott expressed his approval to Prime Minister Abe.

(2) Prime Minister Abe said that the Government of Japan wants to work together with Australia on establish new economic rules  in the Asia-Pacific region, while further strengthening the Japan-Australia bilateral economic relationship through the Japan-Australia EPA, the TPP, the RCEP and other initiatives. Prime Minister Abbott also expressed his support for that goal.

(3) Additionally, the two Prime Ministers exchanged views on regional issues, and shared the view that both countries will continue to coordinate and cooperate on various regional and international issues going forward.