Australia and the World Past and Present

Over roughly the last decade, the military relationship between Australia and Japan has shifted from cooperation and dialogue to something more substantial. We have seen legal agreements, regular joint exercises and a deepening of operational integration. Several key developments stand out.

The Reciprocal Access Agreement was a significant milestone.

Signed in 2022 and entering into force in 2023, it was Japan’s first such agreement with any country other than the United States.

The RAA creates a legal framework for troops to operate in each other’s countries.

It sets rules on legal status, logistics and operations.

In practical terms, it means Australian and Japanese forces can now train, deploy, and operate together far more easily. Therefore is signals a major step towards greater interoperability.

Recently, joint exercises have become more frequent and integrated.

Examples include Exercise Southern Jackaroo (Australia-based ground force training), Exercise Yama Sakura (Japan-based command post exercise), and F-35 joint air training exercises.

Earlier cooperation was symbolic or limited. Now it is operational.

And the relationship is no longer just bilateral – it is embedded in wider structures.

There is trilateral cooperation with the U.S.

Another grouping is the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad).

Here the focus is on Indo-Pacific security, maritime cooperation and deterrence.

The Quad is not a formal alliance, but a strategic alignment platform.

Japan has been discussed as a possible partner in advanced defence technologies such as AI and cyber. This reflects modern warfare priorities and shows the partnership is becoming multi-domain.

Recent ministerial statements emphasise “collective deterrence”, shared concerns about the Indo-Pacific security environment and coordination in response to regional challenges.

If you compare the relationship to even 10 or 15 years ago, the shift is significant.

In the early 2010s, there was dialogue and limited cooperation, occasional exercises and few binding agreements.

The Reciprocal Access Agreement was a turning point. Cooperation now spans land, sea and air.

While neither country has a mutual defence obligation, Australia and Japan are increasingly aligning threat perceptions and acting as security partners.

What was once unthinkable, Australian and Japanese forces operating together routinely, has become more normalised and is likely to deepen further in the near future.