Source: Prime Minister of Australia
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Well, can I say that it is an honour to welcome Sanae to Australia, as we mark a truly special milestone. 50 years since our countries signed the historic Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. That Treaty was first championed by Prime Minister Whitlam in 1973 when he visited the historic capital city of Nara, sister city to Canberra and the home district of Sanae. When concluded in 1976, at the time of a global oil shock and geopolitical upheaval at the end of the Vietnam War, the Basic Treaty represented a commitment between Australia and Japan to stand, work and prosper together. In the decades that have followed, we have built deep and trusted ties across trade and investment, defence and security, energy, and importantly, between our people.
Today, again facing an energy shock and global instability, we affirm the strength of our special strategic partnership. Our partnership helps us secure the energy we both need, underpins the trade and investment that leads to more jobs and helps keep us safe in a more uncertain world. While geography places our countries on the far north and the far south of the Indo-Pacific, it is thanks to the determination of our countries that we have been closer. That closeness has led to a series of new agreements reached today. These agreements are to the benefit of both of our people. For Australians, it will mean we are less vulnerable to global shocks like we are seeing right now because of conflict in the Middle East. It will mean more security for farmers when they are planting their crop and more certainty for commuters filling up their car.
Today, Sanae and I have agreed to a range of ambitious outcomes that comprehensively elevate our special strategic partnership. Firstly, the Joint Declaration on Economic Security Cooperation that we signed today will make us more resilient to economic shocks and uncertainty, enable us to further build trusted supply chains, accelerate development of critical technologies such as AI Quantum and biotechnology, and support regional economic resilience. Our joint statement on energy security reaffirms our commitment to navigate the current energy crisis together and maintain open trade flows of essential energy goods, including liquid fuels and gas. Our joint statement on critical minerals elevates critical minerals to a core pillar of our economic and security relationship, driving Japanese and Australian co-investment in trusted Australian critical minerals supply chains. Our enhanced defence and security cooperation will further develop our already advanced defence relationship so we can do more together to support regional peace and security. It will further strengthen our respective capabilities and deepen integration of our defence industries. Building on Australia’s acquisition of the first three upgraded Mogami-class frigates and Japan’s welcomed defence export reforms. Our Strategic Cyber Partnership will deepen our cyber and critical technology cooperation and better align our work to address cyber threats. And the Australia-Japan Leadership Dialogue we announced today will bring leaders across business, community and government together to shape our cooperation in the years ahead.
Our two countries have never been more strategically aligned. We work closely to advance our shared interests in a peaceful, stable and prosperous region and I welcome Sanae’s commitment to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. In addition to the outcomes that we have announced today, Sanae and I have agreed to instruct relevant Ministers to explore further tangible ways to elevate and institutionalise our comprehensive security and economic cooperation.
Our friendship has never been closer and in these uncertain times, friendships matter more than ever. The world has changed immensely since 1976, but the strength of Australia and Japan’s friendship and the spirit of generosity and respect that our people share is stronger than it has ever been. Sanae and I will spend more time together later today and we will continue our discussions including on issues like heavy metal music and other important matters of state.
I thank Sanae very much for her commitment to Australia and I look forward to continuing to engage in in both our nation’s interests as we look to the next half century and beyond. Arigato gozaimasu.
< SANAE TAKAICHI, PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN:
Today I discussed in depth with Anthony from such a perspective to confirm the direction for the next 50 years for Japan-Australia relationship. It was a highly productive meeting. Firstly, on economic security co-operation, we see increasingly closer and concrete cooperation between Japan and Australia we just signed the Japan-Australia Joint Declaration on Economic Security Cooperation which will serve as a strategic guideline for our bilateral cooperation. Under this Declaration, we put forth two joint statements in regards to critical minerals and energy security. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has been inflicting enormous impact on the Indo-Pacific. We affirmed that Japan and Australia will closely communicate with each other in responding with a sense of urgency. We will advance efforts to strengthen autonomy and resilience indispensable in realising the FOIP to secure reciprocal stable supply of energy and to enhance critical mineral supply chain resilience, as well as cooperation under the Power Asia or Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience which I announced last month.
Also, cooperation and security is a strong foundation for our bilateral relations. The introduction by the Australian Navy of Japan’s Mogami-class frigate is an epoch-making collaboration symbolising our 50th anniversary. We welcomed the conclusion of the agreement the other day, and will steadfastly follow through on the contract. As part of our discussions today, we have instructed the Ministers to explore tangible ways to further elevate and institutionalise comprehensive security cooperation including the economic security ahead of our leaders’ next reciprocal visit.
As part of our discussions today, we have instructed Ministers, and moreover on the cooperation between the Self-Defense Force and the Australian Defence Force which has grown in quality as well as quantity, we agreed to further upgrade the Defence Cooperation taking advantage of the geographical characteristics of Australia. The Leaders’ Statement on Enhanced Defence and Security Cooperation was issued as well. The foundation base for security cooperation is also expanding. We launched the Strategic Cyber Partnership aiming to promote a broad cooperation in cyberspace.
In addition, people-to-people exchanges are also indispensable to Japan-Australia relations. Last year the number of people travelling between our countries reached a record high. We will further promote people-to-people exchanges, including tourism.
The future is born from dialogue and creation. We have launched the Japan-Australia Leadership Dialogue involving public and private sector experts from both countries. We hope this will serve as a bridge to build a future filled with hope for us. These close bilateral cooperation and exchanges form the foundation for Japan-Australia coordination in addressing key regional challenges.
Today, Anthony and I held the strategic discussions on issues beginning with China, Southeast Asia, Pacific Island countries, and responses to issues of nuclear and missiles and abductions of North Korea among others, which pertain to the Indo-Pacific situation, as well as the Middle East, including Iran. Amid the severe international environment, strengthening cooperation with our common ally, the United States is indispensable. We agree to further strengthen frameworks such as The Quad and Japan, US and Australia. Japan and Australia now have a firm intention to contribute together to peace and stability of the region and the international community. The two countries have built a relationship as frontrunners in cooperation among like-minded countries by advancing pioneering security cooperation at a level that could be described as Quasi-allies. And through today’s discussion with Anthony, I am convinced that the next step, 50 years of Japan-Australia relations, will be even more robust and dynamic than the past 50 years. Together with Anthony, we will continue to weave a new chapter in Japan-Australia relations and open new horizons for cooperation among like-minded countries. Anthony, thank you.