(Provisional translation by an external company for reference purpose only)
Tomorrow, April 8, I will hold a Japan-Australia Defense Ministerial Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence the Hon Richard Marles MP of Australia at the Ministry of Defense. Australia is a central pillar of coordination amongst like-minded countries that fully shares the same values and strategic goals as Japan. This will be the fifth Japan-Australia Defense Ministerial Meeting since I assumed office, including the meeting in Munich in February and the video conference last month. At tomorrow’s meeting, I intend to share my recognition of the regional circumstances, including the situation in the Middle East, hold candid and concrete discussion toward further deepening our bilateral defense cooperation, and further strengthen my personal relationship with Deputy Prime Minister Marles. This one announcement concludes my opening remarks.