EAM S Jaishankar to visit Japan for QUAD ministerial meeting, bilateral consultations

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be on a two-day visit to Japan for bilateral consultations with Japanese Foreign Minister as well as QU ministerial meeting. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that foreign ministers of India, Japan, Australia, and United States will participate in second QU security dialogue on October 6.

“External Affairs Minister will also hold bilateral consultations with Foreign Ministers of Australia and United States of America during his visit to Japan,” MEA said in a statement.

ministers will discuss post-COVID-19 international order and need for a coordinated response to various challenges emerging from pandemic. MEA ded that y will also discuss regional issues and collectively affirm importance of maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

Qurilateral Security Dialogue, also known as QU, is an informal strategic forum between India, US, Japan, and Australia. strategic alliance was formed to ensure peace and stability in Indo-Pacific and check China’s expansionist efforts in region, which has become a major cause of concern for a rules-based order. 

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Meeting with Suga possible

According to Japanese media reports, a face-to-face meeting between foreign ministers of visiting nations and newly-elected Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is also being arranged. Japan’s public brocaster NHK said on September 19 that Suga is preparing to meet top US diplomat Mike Pompeo on sidelines of QU security dialogue. 

In July, United States and Australia h reaffirmed ir commitment to Qu consultations with India and Japan. At a press briefing, US State Secretary Mile Pompeo and Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne h said that Indo-Pacific is focus of alliance and two countries are working side-by-side to strengn ir networked structure of alliances and partnerships.

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