Tokyo, 27 September 2022 (TDI): The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, visited Japan to attend the state funeral of the former Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe. During the visit, the Prime Minister of Australia also met with the current Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida and held a summit.
Japan-Australia Summit Meeting#Australiahttps://t.co/OUYdgfcBLk pic.twitter.com/9r53T421zy
— MOFA of Japan (@MofaJapan_en) September 27, 2022
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Prime Minister Kishida began by expressing his gratitude for Australia’s special attention to the passing of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He appreciated Prime Minister Albanese’s presence at the state funeral, and sympathy motions introduced in the House and Senate.
Prime Minister Albanese responded by saying that the delegation had visited Japan to show respect for the country of Japan and for the late Prime Minister Abe.
Moreover, both sides agreed to work together on security and defence cooperation to strengthen Japan-Australia relations as a “free and open Indo-Pacific.” The leaders reaffirmed the significance of a consistent supply of resources and energy and cooperation in emerging fields like hydrogen.
In addition, the two dignitaries talked about a comprehensive and progressive agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and agreed to strengthen their coordination on it. Furthermore, both Prime Ministers also declared that they would keep working together to deal with North Korea, notably on missile and nuclear issues like the testing of a ballistic missile on September 25.
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Tribute to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
After the meeting, Prime Minister Kishida and Prime Minister Albanese had a conversation with former Prime Ministers of Australia including John Howard, Tony Abbott, and Malcolm Turnbull who were also present at the funeral. They discussed the accomplishments of former Prime Minister Abe and decided to continue his legacy by advancing the ties between Japan and Australia.
Shinzo Abe was the former Prime Minister of Japan. He was the longest-serving Prime Minister of modern Japan. He was shot and killed during his campaign. The Japanese government organized a funeral ceremony wherein various heads of state paid tribute to the former Prime Minister.
