Abe, New Australian PM Affirm Strategic Partnership

September 6, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his new Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, agreed Wednesday to continue to cooperate in realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

During telephone talks, Abe and Morrison, who took office late last month, shared the view that Japan and Australia are special strategic partners that uphold universal values and have common strategic interests, according to Japanese officials.

The two leaders also affirmed the significance of the U.S. commitment to the region and discussed North Korea-related issues as well as the 11-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact excluding the United States. Jiji Press