Japan-Australia Defense Ministerial Meeting (Summary)

Defense Minister Iwaya, who is visiting Singapore to attend the 18th IISS Asia Pacific Security Dialogue (Shangri-La Dialogue), had a defense ministerial meeting with Defence Minister Reynolds for the duration of about thirty minutes from 11:45 (local time) on June 1st, 2019. The summary of the meeting is as follows:

2. Opening

In the opening, Minister Iwaya expressed his congratulations on Minister Reynolds for her appointment to defense minister. Minister Iwaya also showed his intention to closely communicate with Minister Reynolds to enhance the bilateral defense cooperation.
Minister Reynolds, in response, expressed her view to closely coordinate with Minister Iwaya to deepen bilateral defense cooperation on the foundation of accumulated defense cooperation that has developed both in depth and width to this date.

2. Regional Issues

The Ministers exchanged their candid views on various issues occurring in the Indo-Pacific region, including North Korea and the Pacific.
Regarding the North Korean issues, the Ministers shared their views on the significance of the international cooperation to ensure the effectiveness of the sanctions based on the UN resolutions, and confirmed their continuous intention to closely cooperate on the joint monitoring and surveillance activities against the illegal ship-to-ship transfers of goods by North Korea.

3. Bilateral Cooperation

The Ministers welcomed the wide range of achievements of the defense cooperation and reviewed the latest joint works, including joint exercises, defense equipment and technology cooperation, and capacity building activities.
With a shared view, the Ministers expressed their consolidated intention to direct respective defense authority to further pursue deeper and broader defense cooperation between the two countries, with a view to maintain and promote a free, open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.