Fading US reliability deepens Australia and Japan security ties

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong pose for the cameras with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani in Tokyo, on September 5, 2025, Japan. - Pool via Reuters

CANBERRA: Australia and Japan are tightening military and economic bonds as the region grows more volatile and long-time security guarantor US demands allies spend more on defence.

Canberra’s recent decision to buy 11 warships from a Japanese manufacturer is the clearest sign yet of the growing trust, enabling Tokyo to export cutting-edge weapons systems and share the related defence secrets for the first time. The deal also means more investment in Australia as Japanese firms set up shop to build most of the ships.