Australia and AUKUS Partners Consider Japan's Role in Defence Alliance
9News
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Details
- Date Published
- 9 Apr 2024
- Priority Score
- 2
- Australian
- Yes
- Created
- 8 Mar 2025, 02:41 pm
Description
<p>But Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stressed the alliance won&#x27;t be extended to become JAUKUS.</p>
Summary
Australia and its AUKUS partners, the United States and Britain, are in discussions to incorporate Japan into specific projects under the AUKUS defence pact's second pillar, which focuses on advanced military capabilities. This move has raised concern in China, which sees it as a potential escalation in regional defense alignment against its interests. By involving Japan, the AUKUS partners aim to enhance their hypersonic missiles and undersea capabilities, along with artificial intelligence innovations for defense. While highlighting the strategic focus on the Indo-Pacific, the initiative remains cautious of expanding AUKUS membership, reinforcing cooperative engagements only on a project-specific basis. This development may impact regional security and defense policy discussions, though it is indirect in addressing catastrophic AI risks specifically.
Body
Australia and its AUKUS partners - the US and Britain - will examine working with Japan on defence projects in a move that left China "gravely concerned".The AUKUS partners today released a joint statement about intended military collaboration with Japan under pillar two of the defence pact."Recognising Japan's strengths and its close bilateral defense partnerships with all three countries we are considering cooperation with Japan on AUKUS pillar II advanced capability projects."READ MORE:'Brushing' scam leaves Aussies puzzling over free itemsAustralia and its AUKUS partners, the United States and Britain, say they are examining working with other nations on defence projects.(AP)Defence Minister Richard Marles, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and UK Defence Minister Grant Schapps said talks will begin this year with "prospective partners".The three nations signed the historic AUKUS agreement last March.Under pillar one, Australia will spend up to $368 billion by 2055 to build a new fleet of eight nuclear-propelled submarines in Adelaide to enter service in the 2040s.Pillar two of the deal is about sharing and developing advanced military technology, such as hypersonic missiles, undersea capabilities and artificial intelligence. It also has a Indo-Pacific focus aimed to deter Chinese assertiveness in the region. Following the release of the joint statement today, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there were no plans to expand the membership of AUKUS."What is proposed is to look at pillar two of AUKUS and look, project by project, whether there would be engagement.READ MORE:Using a salt substitute may lower your risk of dying earlyJapanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will visit the United States this week for talks with President Joe Biden..(Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)"Japan is a natural candidate for that to occur.We've already stepped up our defence relationship with Japan in agreements."What is not proposed is to expand the membership of AUKUS."Significantly Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is making an official visit to the United States this week for talks with President Joe Biden, with closer defence cooperation at the top of the agenda.But one country is feeling distinctly chilled by the moves from AUKUS.The staggering sums countries spend on defending themselvesView GalleryA Chinese government spokesperson said Beijing was "gravely concerned" about Japan moving closer to the western alliance."We oppose relevant countries cobbling together exclusive groupings and stoking bloc confrontation," they said on Monday.