Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is set to visit Canberra this week, marking the highest level engagement with Australia since the controversy surrounding Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s comments about a gift of melons from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Koizumi will meet with his counterpart and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles on Tuesday, with discussions focused on Australia’s acquisition of Japan’s Mogami-class frigates and enhanced security cooperation. Koizumi is considered a potential future prime minister of Japan, with his father Junichiro Koizumi having served in the role from 2001 to 2006.
The visit comes after Albanese faced criticism for his comments about the gift of melons, which were made on the Bush Deep podcast last month. Albanese had said that Takaichi ‘brought two, as you do’ while appearing to make hand gestures in front of his chest, sparking criticism that his comments were misinterpreted as innuendo about breasts. Albanese has insisted that his comments were not intended to be innuendo and were misinterpreted.
The opposition has criticised Albanese for putting at risk close relations with one of Australia’s most important partners in Asia. However, Japan’s ambassador to Australia, Kazuhiro Suzuki, has suggested that Takaichi’s government wants to avoid a diplomatic incident over the comments. Suzuki noted that Takaichi had visited Australia in May and had been hosted for dinner by Albanese in a ‘very relaxed atmosphere, and we believe it helped build a personal trust relationship between the two leaders.’ A Japanese diplomatic cable sent in July blamed ‘sensationalised reporting in the Australian media’ and said Tokyo believed there was no ‘ill intention’ in Albanese’s actions.
The visit comes as part of a five-day trip which will include a stop in India. Marles has welcomed the visit, saying that ‘our relationship with Japan continues to go from strength to strength, and I look forward to welcoming my good friend, minister Koizumi back to Australia this week.’ Marles and Koizumi will progress efforts to enhance defence cooperation and support their shared commitment to regional security, building on the joint statement announced by their prime ministers in May. This includes co-developing and co-producing defence capabilities, advanced weapons testing, enhanced training and exercises, and increased information and intelligence cooperation.
Takaichi has faced mounting political challenges, including on policies to help with the cost of living, and has seen sliding support in opinion polls in recent months. Koizumi was criticised by China at the weekend for visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, dedicated to Japan’s war dead. Visits to the shrine by senior politicians are regularly criticised by Japan’s neighbours, including China and South Korea, who suggest they are symbolic of a lack of remorse for Japan’s actions during the second world war.
In August last year, Labor agreed to buy Japan’s Mogami-class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy, with Australia set to spend $10bn over a decade to buy three of the frigates, with the first expected to be delivered in December 2029.
