Japan, Australia sign new security pact
Updated
Japan and Australia have taken yet another step towards expanding their security, economic and strategic partnerships. Signing a new security pact in Tokyo, the foreign ministers from both countries say the agreement will also expand cooperation on disaster prevention and fighting terrorism. Australia's defence minister also travelled to Japan for the signing of the agreement.
Presenter:Rob Sharp
Speaker: Mark Willacy, North Asia correspondent
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WILLACY: Well, basically, the four ministers have agreed to strengthen their defence and security alliance and that will basically involve enhanced defence cooperation, including unit-to-unit exchanges, joint military exercises and ship and aircraft visits. They also want to cooperate more on areas such as peacekeeping, counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, so that will be done by setting up more regular meetings and consultations between military and security offices from both Japan and Australia. Basically, they will get together regularly to nut out a cooperate approach, things like peacekeeping in the Asia-Pacific region particularly, humanitarian assistance for events like the China earthquake, for example, and the fight against terrorism in Asia.
SHARP: Obviously, this is the second in the so-called Two-Plus-Two meetings since Japan and Australia signed that landmark security pact in early 2007. How important is this second instalment, do you think?
WILLACY: Well, it's very important to both countries. It's worth remembering that this is the first security pact for officially pacifist Japan outside of its military alliance with the United States and so for Australia to be only the second country to have such an agreement with the Japanese illustrates just how central it is to their foreign and defence policies.
As for Australia, it's only our only security pact outside the ones with our traditional allies, the United States and Britain. So this second instalment which strengthens the first one signed 18 months ago is very important.
SHARP: Indeed. The two countries have also agreed to start discussions on a legal framework, haven't they, to share confidential security information. How will that work?
WILLACY: Yes, that is scheduled to begin working early next year, so very soon indeed. But basically it involves setting up a framework on sharing confidential security information. So one would assume that the intelligence services of Japan and Australia will begin sharing information on things like the movement and plans of terrorism suspects or intelligence on criminals, such as drug smugglers, money launderers, that sort of thing. So that is certainly a new measure under the so-called Two-Plus-Two agreement.
SHARP: Japan and Australia have agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in such fields as nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. Now how does Australia's decision to postpone oil deliveries to North Korea fit into the current impasse at the six party talks?
WILLACY: By way of background, Australia had been sounded out by Washington about supplying hundreds-of-thousands of tonnes of heavy fuel oil to North Korea. Japan was supposed to really supply this aid, but it refused citing Pyongyang's intransigence on issues such as the abduction of Japanese citizens. But following the collapse of the six party talks this month with North Korea, the Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, confirmed to me yesterday here in Tokyo, that the fuel oil was basically off the table. This aid will only be back on the table once Pyongyang begins to cooperate on its nuclear program, particularly on the issue of verification. The minister says Australia though will still be committed to providing food aid to the hermit kingdom.
SHARP: No doubt the issue will be raised with the administration of the incoming US president, Barack Obama?
WILLACY: Yes, the Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith was keen to point out yesterday to an audience of Japanese foreign affairs buffs that we went to that the incoming US president has his roots in the Asia-Pacific, having spent parts of his childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia. So Mr Smith believes we may see more engagement with North Korea from the new US administration.
SHARP: Just briefly, Mark, were there any discussions over Australia's objection to the annual Japanese whale hunt in Antarctic waters?
WILLACY: There certainly was. Foreign Minister Stephen Smith had vowed to raise Australia's objection to whaling during the visit, and once in Tokyo took his gripe to the very top. He told me that he outlined the Rudd Government's concerns during a very brief meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister, Taro Aso. So basically he said we hoped to solve this diplomatically, but Mr Smith says if diplomacy fails, to resolve the impasse then, then basically Australia has some legal options it's prepared to take.
