Following the introduction of the new security laws, the Defense Ministry and the Australian Army agreed Monday to promote joint training between their troops while stepping up bilateral cooperation on other issues, officials said.

The agreement was reached during talks between Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Australian Army chief Lt. Gen. Angus Campbell in Tokyo.

At the outset of the meeting, Nakatani hailed the significance of a joint military drill conducted by the United States and Australia in northern Australia in July, which was joined by Ground Self-Defense Force personnel, while Campbell expressed willingness to expand future opportunities to train and drill together.

It was the first time that the GSDF took part in the biennial Australian and U.S. training activity called Exercise Talisman Saber. Japan’s participation was seen as an effort to bolster cooperation between the three countries in response to China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea.

The meeting between Nakatani and Campbell took place following the implementation in March of Japan’s new security laws that give the opportunity for the Self-Defense Forces to expand their overseas role.

KEYWORDS defense, Australia, Japan