Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe signed a groundbreaking defense pact with Australian Prime Minister John Howard yesterday that both leaders have emphasized is not aimed at reining in China.
"The purpose of this is to express a common desire of Japan and Australia to work ever closer together to contribute to security in the region," Howard told reporters after meeting Japanese Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma. "It is obviously an important step forward.
"You never forget the past. You move on from the past, and you don't allow the past to contaminate what you do in the present or in the future," he said.
The pact is expected to significantly strengthen defense ties between the two states.
Under the plan, Japanese forces will train alongside Australians for disaster relief and peacekeeping missions.
Australian officials have said the pact would also eventually lead to intelligence sharing.
"Japan and Australia are important partners together sharing values and common strategic interests," Abe said in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) on Monday.
The two countries' security ties have vastly improved since Australian troops provided security for a Japanese humanitarian mission, comprising about 600 troops, in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah.
The non-combat mission ended last July.
Abe thanked Howard yesterday evening for Australia's help in Iraq.
"We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for the support Australia gave our ground troops in Iraq," Abe said.
Howard replied that Australian forces were impressed by the "professionalism" of Japanese troops.
Beijing and Pyongyang have raised concerns that the security pact was negotiated by Japan and Australia in secret amid fears it was aimed at containing China's power in the region.
Abe told ABC, however, that the agreement was not intended to encircle China or any country in particular.
Earlier, Howard met Japanese Trade Minister Akira Amari for negotiations on a free trade agreement to be launched next month, and had lunch with Japanese business leaders.
"Australia has no better friend or more reliable partner within the Asia-Pacific region than Japan," said Howard, who arrived in Japan on Sunday.
"Australia has no better customer within the world, so far as its exports are concerned, than Japan," he said.
Beijing, meanwhile, reacted calmly to the signing of a security pact between Japan and Australia, while again insisting its military posed no threat to the region.
"We hope relevant countries ... can take into consideration the concerns of relevant countries so as to maintain peace and stability in the region," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang (
Asked whether China believed statements by the leaders of Australia and Japan that the pact was not aimed at containing the increasing might of the world's most populous country, Qin did not commit himself.
"We hope what they said is true. At the same time China will not threaten other countries. We are tranquil in our heart," he said.
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