Japan Sends Defence Minister to Canberra for $10 Billion Frigate Talks as Melon Row Eases
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 16
Japan Sends Defence Minister to Canberra for $10 Billion Frigate Talks as Melon Row Eases
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 16
Summary
Shinjiro Koizumi will meet Richard Marles in Canberra on Tuesday, marking the highest-level Japan-Australia engagement since Anthony Albanese’s remarks about a gift of two melons triggered a political backlash.
The talks center on Australia’s planned acquisition of three Mogami-class frigates and broader defence cooperation, including co-development, weapons testing, training, exercises and intelligence sharing.
Japan’s ambassador Kazuhiro Suzuki signaled Tokyo wanted to avoid a diplomatic rupture, saying Sanae Takaichi’s May visit helped build trust, while a leaked July cable said Albanese showed no ill intent.
Australia agreed last August to spend $10 billion over a decade on the frigates, with the first delivery expected in December 2029, making the visit a test of whether strategic ties can outlast the recent controversy.