US and Australia announce agreement to work with Japan on defence technology

US President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced an agreement on Wednesday to cooperate with Japan on advanced defence technology, one of several initiatives meant to solidify the nations’ engagement in the Indo-Pacific to counter a more assertive China.

The US and Australia will explore trilateral defence cooperation with Japan including on unmanned aerial systems, the White House said: “Our cooperation will enhance interoperability and accelerate technology transfer in the rapidly emerging field of collaborative combat aircraft and autonomy.”