Japan to hold drills with Australia as Tokyo defends against China’s growing power

The historic defence agreement will allow ammunition and material to be transported more easily between the two countries.

Under the deal, Japanese troops could conduct military exercises out of Darwin – almost 76 years since Japan’s airforce bombed the city in World War II.

But the drills are also being seen as a clear warning shot to China – which has growing influence and power in the Indian and Pacific Ocean.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will visit Tokyo on Thursday for an annual leaders talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.

He said in a statement: “Prime Minister Abe and I are committed to strong defence co-operation through joint exercises, information sharing and defence industry collaboration. 

“We are working to formalise this in our reciprocal access agreement that will further enhance our defence inter-operability.

Australia hopes to cement a visiting forces agreement, which is expected to be signed later this year.

The agreement sets out the legal status for military personnel visits, moving equipment and weapons.

However as Australia moves closer to Japan, its relationship with China is worsening.

In the past few weeks, a rift opened up after Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, the minister for international development, accused Beijing of lending money to small Pacific nations on unfavourable terms, The Times reports.

Mr Turnbull then drew a stinging rebuke from Beijing after suggesting his anti-foreign interference laws before parliament were aimed at the Asian giant.

And last week the two countries exchanged tense words over China’s aid program to Pacific island nations.

Mr Turnbull and Mr Abe will likely to discuss North Korea’s nuclear threat as well as moves to revive a four-country security forum between the US, India, Japan and Australia which is widely seen as an effort to counter China’s growing influence.

However, University of Hong Kong fellow Ryan Manuel warns that there is likely to be further verbal backlash from China over the pending Australia-Japan visiting forces agreement.