On 4 May 2026 the Commonwealth Government released the Australia-Japan Leaders Statement on Enhanced Defence and Security Cooperation. After the signing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, “In a complex strategic environment, cooperation between Australia and Japan is essential to maintaining a peaceful, stable and prosperous region. Enhanced defence and security cooperation between Australia and Japan increases interoperability between our defence forces, ensuring Australia and Japan can work closely together to support regional peace and security.”
The wording of the Leaders Statement is as follows:
- Reaffirming the vital Special Strategic Partnership between our two countries, today, we, Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Takaichi announced new steps to enhance Australia-Japan defence and security cooperation to support our shared ambition for a peaceful, stable and prosperous region.
- This is a natural evolution of our close relationship. It reflects the commitment made in the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation issued on 22 October 2022 by Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Kishida that our two countries would consult on contingencies that may affect our sovereignty and regional security interests and consider measures in response. This Declaration also committed us to further enhance interoperability between the Australian Defence Force and the Japan Self-Defense Forces and to explore additional ways to improve the effectiveness of our bilateral defence cooperation, including through Scope, Objectives and Forms discussions.
