Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States have confirmed they are considering working with Japan on the information and technology sharing component of the AUKUS pact, called Pillar II, to further bolster the region’s stability against an increasingly aggressive Chinese military.
In a joint statement, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles, UK Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said the further advancement of their nations’ respective military capabilities to uphold regional security remained the objective of AUKUS.
“We are confident that engaging like-minded partners in the work of Pillar II will only strengthen this pursuit,” they said.
“Recognising Japan’s strengths and its close bilateral defence partnerships with all three countries, we are considering cooperation with Japan on AUKUS Pillar II advanced capability projects.
“AUKUS partners have developed principles and models for additional partner engagement in individual Pillar II projects and will undertake consultations in 2024 with prospective partners regarding areas where they can contribute to, and benefit from, this historic work.”
Japan at the Forefront
Australian Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that Japan could potentially join the pact for Pillar II, as the three AUKUS nations were “always interested in partnering with other countries where [it benefits them] and the country in question.”
He described Japan as being at the “forefront of developing cutting-edge defence capabilities.”
“This is [about] collaborating on technology development ... on a project-by-project basis. It’s not about Japan being part of the Five Eyes intelligence community, it’s about technological collaboration where it makes sense for all parties involved,” he said.
He said AUKUS, including Pillar I (the nuclear-submarine component), was “all on track and we’re building steady momentum towards that” and described the three member countries as having “a strong foundation.”
Mr. Conroy is in Washington, where he is meeting with U.S. officials and defence industry leaders this week.
Beijing, which has always been hostile to AUKUS, said it was “gravely concerned” about the prospect of Japan joining the pact.
Its foreign ministry claimed such a move would “disrupt regional peace and stability” in the Indo-Pacific region, the South China Morning Post reported.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Beijing opposed the formation of “exclusive” small circles.
She also warned that Japan should particularly “exercise caution in military security” based on historical lessons.
