Japan’s defence minister heads to Australia to meet Marles in wake of melon-gate controversy
Summary
Japan’s defence minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, will visit Australia to meet Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and discuss defence cooperation, including Australia’s purchase of Japanese frigates. The visit follows a controversy involving Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s comments about a gift of Japanese melons, which caused political criticism in Australia but was not seen as an issue in Japan.Key Facts
- Shinjiro Koizumi, Japan’s defence minister, will meet Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in Canberra.
- Discussions will focus on Australia buying Japan’s Mogami-class frigates and other defence collaboration.
- Australia plans to spend $10 billion over ten years to buy three Mogami-class frigates, with the first delivery expected in 2029.
- The visit happens after Australian Prime Minister Albanese faced criticism for comments made about Japanese melons gifted by Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
- Japan’s ambassador to Australia said the gift incident was not considered a diplomatic problem by Tokyo.
- Koizumi is seen as a potential future Japanese prime minister; his father was prime minister from 2001 to 2006.
- Koizumi was recently criticized by China for visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, a sensitive site linked to Japan’s wartime past.
- The visit is part of a five-day trip including a stop in India and aims to strengthen defence ties between Japan and Australia.
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