Chief of the Defence Force hosts Japanese counterpart

The Chief of the Defence Force Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin welcomed his counterpart, General Shigeru Iwasaki Chief of Joint Staff Japanese Self Defense Forces, to Canberra today on the first leg of a three day visit to Australia.

Air Chief Marshal Binskin said Japan and Australia had demonstrated strong cooperation in recent years on operations in the Indo-Pacific region.

“Following the devastating Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami in 2011, Australian C-17 Globemaster aircraft crews flew around the clock transporting emergency services personnel and equipment to the Japanese mainland to support the disaster relief effort during Operation Pacific Assist,” Air Chief Marshal Binskin said.

“In 2014, the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force provided two P-3 Orion aircraft to the Australian led Operation Southern Indian Ocean to assist with the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH-370.”

During the visit, Air Chief Marshal Binskin and General Iwasaki discussed ways to further enhance practical defence cooperation between Japan and Australia.

“We are working together to further strengthen our bilateral engagement through exercises, operations and personnel exchanges,” Air Chief Marshal Binskin said.

“Japan and Australia are also examining ways to deepen our cooperation on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, maritime security, peacekeeping and capacity building as well as expanding trilateral security cooperation with the United States.”

Air Chief Marshal Binskin said Japan and Australia had already taken the first steps toward a partnership in defence science, technology and materiel.

“Our two nations have commenced work to determine the scope of our first cooperative defence science and technology project on marine hydrodynamics, as well as exploring potential opportunities to collaborate in this area in the future.”

The Defence chiefs also discussed the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement, which enables logistics support between Australian and Japanese forces cooperating in international operations, such as peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

General Iwasaki will also travel to Newcastle and Sydney during his Australian visit.

Media note:
Imagery will be available at: http://images.defence.gov.au/S20142299

Media contact:
Defence Media Operations (02) 6127 1999