© Reuters. File photo: On August 15, 2021, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid a visit to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, Japan. REUTERS / Issei Kato
Author: Takenaka Kiyoshi
TOKYO (Reuters)-Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is still influential in the ruling party, said on Friday that Japan should cooperate with AUKUS security partners, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia on artificial intelligence and cyber capabilities.
The AUKUS agreement was reached in September. Australia will obtain the technology to deploy nuclear-powered submarines. The agreement is widely regarded as a response to China’s militarization in the region, especially the South China Sea, and is of strategic importance.
In the face of China’s military expansion, Japan aims to strengthen its ties with the United States and its allies in other friendly countries, while strengthening its own defensive position.
“The key to achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific region is to ensure medium and long-term contacts between like-minded countries and the Indo-Pacific region. From this perspective, I welcome the establishment of AUKUS,” Abe said in his speech. On an online forum.
“It is extremely important to carry out multi-level efforts to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. I think Japan should conduct AUKUS cooperation in areas such as network capabilities, artificial intelligence, and quantum technology.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that although cooperation with AUKUS will start with nuclear-powered submarines, alliance members hope to accelerate the development of other advanced defense systems, especially in the fields of network computing, artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
Japan, India and the two members of UKUS-Australia and the United States form the Group of Four. The leaders of the four countries held their first face-to-face summit in September and formed a united front amid common concerns about China.
Regarding the relationship between Japan and Australia, Abe said that the two countries need to further deepen their special strategic partnership.
“In view of the increasingly severe regional security environment, it is necessary for Japan and Australia to elevate bilateral security and defense cooperation to a new level.”
Abe is Japan’s longest reigning prime minister. He resigned last year due to health reasons, but he is still a member of Congress and took over as the leader of the largest faction of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party this month.