The joint declaration on security cooperation, which Japanese
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Australian Prime Minister John Howard
signed on Tuesday in Tokyo, is a move taken by the Japanese
government for further overseas military deployment.
By strengthening security cooperation and military ties with
Australia, Japan intends to build a Japan-Australia-US military
alliance and pave the way for more overseas deployment of Japan's
Self-Defense Forces in the future.
Under the declaration, Japan and Australia will set an action
plan for their militaries to conduct international cooperation
while intensifying strategic dialogues between their foreign and
defense ministers.
As two staunch allies of the United States in the Asia-Pacific
region, both Japan and Australia supported the US-led invasion of
Iraq and contributed troops to the multinational force in post-war
Iraq. Military cooperation between the two countries is also
expected to contribute to the formation of a strong triangular
military alliance, for which the three countries started strategic
dialogues last year.
In April 1996, Japan and the United States signed a similar
declaration, lifting the level of their alliance and shifting the
focus of their military cooperation from "situations in Japan" to
"situations in the Far East." In January, Japan upgraded its
Defense Agency to the Ministry of Defense in January.
Overseas activities such as peacekeeping and disaster relief
have been upgraded as essential duties of the Self-Defense Forces
(SDF). Japan hopes all these moves will make it a great military
power in the world.
After taking office in September, Abe claimed that Japan would
strengthen cooperation with countries sharing the "basic values"
with Japan. According to some Japanese media, Abe's remarks mean
the increased military cooperation with Australia is obviously
aimed at some Asian countries, although Abe and Howard denied that
it is directed at any third country.
Howard said at a press conference on Tuesday: "It should not be
seen as being antagonistic to anybody in the region. We all have an
obligation to recall the past but also to look to the future. That
is the spirit I have brought to the relationship of Japan and
Australia."
If they mean what they say, they should take into consideration
the concerns and interests of other countries in the region when
their countries engage in security cooperation.
And they should do things to promote the trust among countries
in the region and refrain from doing anything which would harm
regional peace and stability.
(Xinhua News Agency March 15, 2007)
