The Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP, will host Japanese Minister of Defense, H.E. Nakatani Gen, and United States Secretary of Defense, the Hon Lloyd J. Austin III, for the 14th Trilateral Defence Ministers’ Meeting on 17 November 2024 in Darwin, Northern Territory.
This will be the first Trilateral Defence Ministers’ Meeting held in Australia and the second meeting this year. The Ministers and Secretary will discuss the shared ambition to advance our countries’ trilateral program of cooperation, including through exercises and operations, shared strategic capabilities, science and technology and defence industry cooperation.
Bilateral meetings will also be held with each country.
The Acting Prime Minister will host Japanese Minister of Defense Gen Nakatani on his first visit to Australia since being appointed in the role last month. The visit will provide an opportunity to build on the progress made at the Japan-Australia 2+2 meeting in September, including planning for deployments of Japan’s Rapid Deployment Brigade to northern Australia.
The Acting Prime Minister will also host US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for his second visit to Australia. The visit will provide opportunity for Acting Prime Minister Marles and Secretary Austin to visit forces and facilities that support our Australia-United States force posture cooperation.
Trilateral defence cooperation between Australia, Japan and the United States is an important pillar of regional security that upholds a stable, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
Quotes attributable to Acting Prime Minister, the Hon Richard Marles MP:
“I am honoured to welcome Minister Nakatani and Secretary Austin for the first Trilateral Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Australia. I look forward to discussing defence cooperation with two of our closest partners.
“The trilateral partnership between Australia, Japan and the United States is built upon our shared values, deep trust, and unbreakable commitment to the stability and security of the Indo-Pacific region. Our enduring partnership is crucial to collective deterrence in our region.”
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