Australian Polity, Volume 10 Number 1 & 2
March 2022 issue of Australian Polity
March 2022 issue of Australian Polity
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The defence partnership of Australia and Japan
will again level up following the signing of the
Reciprocal Access Agreement by Scott Morrison
and Fumio Kishida. It is a profound moment, one that
Australians and Japanese of a previous generation could
never have imagined. One that our citizens today will see
as another example of the growing strength and special
nature of our bilateral relationship.
The signing of the RAA builds on our partnership and
friendship with Japan – one that is based on shared values
and interests, and on trust and respect. Significantly, it
elevates our bilateral defence relationship with Japan to
a new level. Japan is already one of our closest defence
partners, and with this agreement we are paving the way
for a new chapter of enhanced co-operation.
The purpose of the RAA is straightforward. It’s a treaty
allowing our military forces to operate in each other’s
countries. While Australia and Japan already have
arrangements that facilitate specific joint defence
activities, the RAA vastly broadens the scope of our
defence co-operation. It’s a natural and confident step
forward in defence engagement between the two
countries.
The treaty will enable more frequent and sophisticated
training exercises and operations between the Australian
Defence Force and the Japan Self-Defence Forces,
enhancing interoperability in the process.
signed with another nation.
The ninth 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial
Consultations, held virtually in June last year, reinforced
our nations’ common defence interests and mutual
objectives. Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi and I committed
to increasing the practical defence initiatives of Australia
and Japan, building on the more than 80 already agreed
since 2014. We also pledged to step up bilateral cooperation
in cyber and space capabilities, while nurturing
stronger ties between our defence industrial bases. The
signing of the RAA will support these aims.
Last July, the Japan Self-Defence Forces participated
in the Australia-US Exercise Talisman Sabre. The closing
activity was an amphibious landing in which, for the first
time in history, forces from Australia, Japan, Britain and
the US worked together from the same ship. Japan
and Australia also trained with other partners during
exercises La Perouse, Pacific Vanguard and Malabar
last year. The RAA will help us undertake new joint force
training initiatives.
Growing defence co-operation between Australia and
Japan under our Special Strategic Partnership should
neither come as a surprise nor be viewed in isolation.
This agreement is another step in realising the 2020
Defence Strategic Update and Australia continues to
strengthen defence engagement with international
partners in support of shared regional security interests.
In streamlining administrative processes, the RAA also
speeds up physical force deployment into each other’s
territory. And it will complement new mechanisms for
the Japan Self-Defence Forces to protect the ADF’s
weapons, equipment and assets in situations short of
armed conflict. Although uncomplicated in its intent, the
RAA is nonetheless a complex pact, years in the making.
Provisions have been meticulously drafted to support
the treaty’s practical implementation, reconciling each
country’s laws, administrative systems and international
obligations.
Japan entered a similar status of forces agreement with
the US in 1960 that allows US forces to be stationed in,
and operate from, Japan. Significantly, the RAA with
Australia will be the first reciprocal treaty Japan has
Like-minded nations are taking steps to buttress their
own security, bolster defence co-operation bilaterally
and multilaterally, and build partnerships. They’re raising
defence spending as a percentage of gross domestic
product; coming together for joint exercises to improve
interoperability; undertaking multinational deployments to
uphold freedom of navigation and overflight in the region;
deepening industrial base co-operation; strengthening
collaboration in defence science, technology and
research; and reinforcing commitments to established
and emerging partnerships such as the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations, Five Eyes, the Five Power
Defence Arrangements and the Quadrilateral Security
Dialogue.
Like-minded nations are responding in these ways
Australian Polity 7