Australia-Japan security relations: improving on a 'best friends' relationship

This paper argues that there are two key initiatives identified in Japan's National Security Statement for which Australia could play a supporting role to enhance the bilateral relationship and achieve mutual security benefits for both nations. They are 'defence equipment and technology cooperation' and 'building a comprehensive defence architecture to firmly defend Japan'.

It argues that cooperating with Japan on mutually-beneficial defence research and capability projects will benefit both nations economically through better access to markets and by allowing both to gain access to technology and expertise developed in the other nation. It identifies the JSF project as a priority, along with existing cooperative research on maritime hydrodynamics.

In terms of Japan 'building a comprehensive defence architecture', the paper argues that it is not in the interests of either Australia or Japan to pursue a bilateral security alliance. However, Australia should seek to work with Japan to reform and strengthen regional and global security institutions. It identifies that a more proactive and assertive East Asia Summit and a more modern and representative UN Security Council, with Japan playing a larger role in both, would provide significant benefit to both nations.

This paper was also published in the Indo-Pacific Strategic Digest series.

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