Australia and Japan deepen ties

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi have signed a comprehensive strategic agreement in Canberra to bolster regional security and economic ties.

The pact focuses on securing supply chains for critical minerals and energy, which both leaders identified as vulnerable to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Japan has also agreed to test advanced weaponry in Australia, marking a significant deepening of their 'quasi-alliance' in the Indo-Pacific.

The meeting underscores a shared commitment to maintaining a rules-based order and countering economic coercion in an increasingly volatile global environment.