Third Australia-Japan Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministerial Consultations
Joint media release - Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Australian Minister for Defence
17 May 2010
Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Senator John Faulkner will visit Japan on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 May for the Australia-Japan Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministerial Consultations ('2+2 Meeting') in Tokyo.
This is the third 2+2 Meeting between Australia and Japan, and reflects the substantial strengthening of bilateral defence and security ties between our two countries.
It will be the first to be conducted with the Hatoyama Government.
Minister Smith and Minister Faulkner will participate in the joint meeting with Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Okada and Japanese Minister for Defense Kitazawa, to discuss international security developments and deepening defence and security cooperation between Australia and Japan.
Australia and Japan have made significant progress in developing our security relationship in recent years. The four Ministers will take stock of recent achievements and plan the way forward.
Australia's and Japan's comprehensive economic, security and strategic partnership - built on shared goals, values and interests - represents an important contribution to peace, security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
During the visit, Minister Smith will also meet with other Japanese Ministers to discuss international, regional and bilateral developments, including bilateral Free Trade Agreement negotiations, APEC, the WTO and the G20.
Minister Faulkner will meet with Minister Kitazawa to discuss progress in bilateral defence engagement in areas including logistics cooperation, exercises and training, and peacekeeping and disaster relief responses. He will also call on Japanese Members of the Diet and visit HMAS Newcastle.
Media inquiries
- Minister's Office: (02) 6277 7500
- Departmental Media Liaison: (02) 6261 1555