Australian PM Meets US Vice President in Tokyo, Affirms Commitment a ‘Free and Open’ Indo-Pacific

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (L) attends a bilateral meeting with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in Tokyo, Japan, on Sept. 27, 2022, ahead of the state funeral for Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe. Leah Millis/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reaffirmed his commitment to working with Quad nations to realise a “free and open” Indo-Pacific region.

Albanese met U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in Tokyo ahead of the state funeral for the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

“We live in uncertain times. There is strategic competition; it’s something that we’re very conscious of Indo-Pacific,” he told Harris before an Australia-United States bilateral meeting.

“It is critical that we continue to engage and cooperate and work together on these issues.”

Albanese also reflected on the critical role that Abe played in creating the Quad to protect the stability of the region.

The fact that he attended the Quad leader’s meeting two days after being sworn in as prime minister in May indicated how important the partnership was to Australia, Albanese said.

The vice president also said the Quad was an important partnership for the United States to address “some of the most pressing issues facing the world,” referring to Beijing’s increasing aggression and militarization of the region.

“It is significant that we are here together in Tokyo in that we also share a common goal and bond as it relates to our dedication to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific,” she said.

Albanese Praised For Climate Goals

Meanwhile, Harris congratulated Albanese on the passing of the climate change bill that imposed a 43 percent emissions reduction target by 2030 and net-zero by 2050.

“You have been particularly, I say with full complement, ambitious, I say that with admiration, with your climate goals,” she said.

Albanese also congratulated Harris for the Biden administration’s passing of the Inflation Reduction Act, which some critics have warned will raise taxes on nearly all income brackets.

(L to R) Former Australian Prime Ministers Malcolm Turnbull, Tony Abbott, John Howard, and current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pose for a photo with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida before their meeting at the Akasaka State Guest House in Tokyo, Japan, on Sept. 27, 2022. Pool/Getty Images

Paying Tribute to Shinzo Abe

Albanese was joined by former prime ministers John Howard, Tony Abbott, and Malcolm Turnbull as a sign of respect to Abe, and to signify the importance of the relationship between Australia and Japan.

“We share such common interests, in particular for a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is so important that we continue to work together and to work with our partners as well to advance that common interest,” he said in opening remarks prior to his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Around 4,300 people attended the state funeral of Japan’s longest-serving prime minister.

However, thousands of people also protested the state funeral, rarely held for anyone other than imperial family members.

According to a recent poll by TV Asahi, only 30 percent agreed with hosting the funeral compared to 54 percent who opposed.