Australia, Japan boost defense ties

No TPP makes China a lot stronger in the region. As much as Mr Abe tries to strengthen ties between nations China is still Australia's biggest trade partner with trade double that of Japan. When push comes to shove without a strong US led alliance in the region no one will have the will to push back.

The leaders of Australia and Japan agreed on Saturday to boost cooperation between their militaries

I thought Japan didn't have a military.

I thought Japan didn't have a military.

In name only it doesn't. Due to the constitution written by the US after WW2 it is referred to as a self-defense force. In terms of its hardware it is one of the most sophisticated military machines in Asia if not the world.

About all countries in the world try to purchase made in Japan weapons. Maybe Japan inc are ready to have robot military now?

TPP is dead, your gamble has lost, Abe san!

Japan is tieing with every Asian countries. Now with mot reliable Australia.

“For both of our nations, the United States remains the cornerstone of our strategic and security arrangements,” Turnbull said. “And our respective alliances for the United States are as relevant and important today as they have ever been. We’ll work closely with the incoming administration as we have been to advance the region’s interests and our shared goals.”

Nothing to be proud of as far as I am concerned. Oz and Japan are US puppets. Oz ambassador to the US Joe Hockey recently said that "Australia is the only country in the world that has stood by the US in every war since the two nations first fought side by side against the Germans in 1918." Is that what sovereign nations do, i.e blindly follow their 'leaders' even when they are wrong?

I believe Australia has a strong moral compass and always aligns itself with what it believes to be the right thing to do. Yes Australia does have a large trading partnership with China but on moral grounds it will not standby China's attempt to dominate the region militarily. Though Australia moral compass does not condone Japanese whaling Australia's morals will stand by Japan to avoid and try and prevent aggressive Chinese military build up in the region.

Good on them, the Japan-Australia partnership is one of the most commendable and heartening in the world