Japan, US, India, Australia plan to hold QUAD security dialogue in October: Report

Japan, India, Australia and the United States are reportedly planning to hold a meeting of their foreign ministers in Tokyo in early October. It will be the first cabinet-level meeting in Japan since March after the coronavirus outbreak. Japanese foreign affairs chief Toshimitsu Motegi, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, and Australian foreign minister Marise Payne will hold QUAD security dialogue.

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

Meeting with Suga

The final schedule for the QUAD security dialogue, which was delayed due to change in leadership after Shinzo Abe’s resignation, has not been announced yet. According to Japanese media reports, a face-to-face meeting between the foreign ministers of the visiting nations and the newly-elected Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is also being arranged. 

Read: US, India To Strengthen Relations Through Quad Consultations With Japan & Australia

Read: US, Australia Reaffirm Commitment To Quad Alliance With India, Japan Amid Chinese Threat

Japan’s public broadcaster NHK said on September 19 that Suga is preparing to meet top US diplomat Mike Pompeo on the sidelines of QUAD security dialogue. Recently, Shinzo Abe and Australian PM Scott Morrison had agreed to expand the Quad cooperation in the areas of defence and security amid rising threat from China. Abe had said that they agreed to expand cooperation under Japan-Australia-U.S-India frameworks.

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

Read: Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga To Meet Mike Pompeo In Early October: Report

Read: EAM Jaishankar Praises 'progressing Defence, Security Aspects' Of India-Japan Ties