Japan, Australia Affirm Cooperation with U.S.

Washington, Jan. 19 (Jiji Press)--Japanese and Australian foreign ministers agreed in Washington on Sunday to further promote their countries' security cooperation while strengthening their alliance with the United States.

At a time when China is seeking to become a regional hegemon, "Japan and Australia are required to join hands with the United States and like-minded countries to lead efforts to realize a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific,'" Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said at the outset of a meeting with his Australian counterpart, Penny Wong.

Wong replied that she was pleased to have talks with Iwaya as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump was about to take the oath.

In the U.S. capital the same day, Iwaya also met with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, his Indian counterpart.

They reaffirmed the significance of the multilateral security frame work for their countries plus Australia and the United States ahead of a meeting of "Quad" foreign ministers likely to be held Tuesday.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]