I will visit Japan from 5-7 October for the second Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the Quad and to further Australia’s strong cooperation with our vital Indo-Pacific partners, India, Japan and the United States.
In Tokyo, I look forward to meeting again with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi, Indian Minister of External Affairs Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Pompeo.
This will be another important step forward for this grouping of Indo-Pacific democracies, following our inaugural Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New York a year ago. We will discuss strengthening cooperation to support regional responses to the health and economic dimensions of COVID-19, including on vaccines, supply chains and quality infrastructure investment.
I will also hold bilateral meetings with each of my foreign minister counterparts, and will discuss cooperation on women’s economic empowerment and sport with Japan’s Minister for Gender Equality and the Olympics Hashimoto.
This visit is an opportunity to advance Australia’s interests, deepen ties with like-minded partners, and reaffirm our shared commitment to promoting a stable, inclusive and prosperous region as we work towards COVID-19 recovery.
The Quad meeting comes at an important time in the Indo-Pacific, when our shared interests are under unprecedented pressure, including as the region responds to COVID-19. We are committed to working together, and with all countries in the region, to chart a road to recovery in a way that helps all countries reinforce their sovereignty and resilience.
