TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Tuesday Japan and Australia had reached a broad agreement on their bilateral defence pact to facilitate more joint operations and exercises on each other’s soil.
The developments further strengthen the defence ties between the two U.S. allies, at a time when China is asserting its role in the region and the United States is going through a leadership transition.
The pact called the Reciprocal Access Agreement is a legal framework to allow their troops to visit each other’s countries and conduct training and joint operations.
Suga made the comments during a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison who is visiting Tokyo.Reuters News