US, UK, and Australia "Considering Cooperation with Japan under AUKUS Agreement"... Strengthening Checks on China

Collaboration with Japan on Advanced Military Capability Development 'Pillar 2'

The United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia are considering including Japan in AUKUS, the trilateral military alliance against China.

On the 8th (local time), the defense ministers of the three AUKUS countries stated in a joint declaration, "Recognizing Japan's strengths and the close bilateral defense cooperation between Japan and the three countries, we are considering cooperation between Japan and AUKUS."

AUKUS is advancing 'Pillar 1,' a plan to provide conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, and 'Pillar 2,' a plan for the three countries to jointly develop advanced military capabilities. Previously, under the Pillar 2 plan, the three countries agreed to jointly develop technologies in eight areas: undersea, quantum technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous weapons, cyber, hypersonic and counter-hypersonic, electronic warfare, defense innovation, and information sharing. Discussions are now underway on a method for Japan to newly join this effort.

In the joint statement, the three countries said, "The three AUKUS countries have developed principles and models to include other partner countries in individual Pillar 2 projects," and "We will begin consultations in 2024 with promising partner countries in areas where they can contribute to and benefit from this historic endeavor."

According to the UK Ministry of Defence, AUKUS will start consultations within the year with potential partner countries, including Japan. Besides Japan, New Zealand, Canada, and South Korea are mentioned as countries capable of cooperating on Pillar 2.

Meanwhile, AUKUS, launched in September 2021, is a military alliance focused on responding to China's security threats in the Indo-Pacific. If AUKUS cooperates with Japan, it can be seen as Japan participating more deeply in the US-led containment of China. China is wary of Japan's participation in AUKUS.