TOKYO, July 1 -- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan issued the following news release:
On July 1, commencing at 8:40 a.m. local time (9:40 p.m. on July 1, JST) for approximately 40 minutes, Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a Japan-Australia Foreign Minister's Meeting with Senator the Hon. Penny WONG, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of Australia during his visit to Washington D.C. for the Japan-Australia-India-U.S. (Quad) Foreign Ministers' Meeting. The overview of the meeting is as follows:
At the outset, Minister Iwaya stated that further deepening the "Special Strategic Partnership" between Japan and Australia is essential for peace and stability in the region and the international community, and expressed his reassurance being able to continue working closely with Minister Wong to strengthen Japan-Australia relations. Minister Wong concurred with Minister Iwaya's remark.
The two ministers exchanged views on various international challenges, including those in the Indo-Pacific region and the Middle East and concurred on promoting multi-layered cooperation with the United States and other like-minded countries, including through frameworks such as the Japan-U.S.-Australia-India, in light of the severe security environment in the region. Minister Wong expressed her understanding and support for the immediate resolution of the abductions issue by North Korea.
Considering Japan-Australia cooperation as a model for collaboration among like-minded countries, the two ministers also concurred on steadily advancing concrete cooperation in a wide range of fields, including security, cyber security, economic security, information security, and people-to-people exchanges, with a view to next year's 50th anniversary of the signing of the Japan-Australia Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
