AUKUS subs deal won't be expanded to include Japan: PM

Anthony Albanese has shut down suggestions of Japan being a fourth player in the AUKUS alliance, despite the ally helping to produce frigates for Australia’s defence forces.

The Prime Minister held talks with his newly elected Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi, the first woman to hold the role, on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia.

“The meeting I had ... was very positive and constructive. She has invited me to come to Japan,” Mr Albanese told reporters in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

Ms Takaichi told Mr Albanese she wanted to “promote strategic co-operation with Australia” and improve the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) co-operation.

The Quad, which includes the United States, Australia, Japan and India, was set up to counter China militarily and diplomatically in the Indo-Pacific region.

While Mr Albanese said Australia was purchasing Japanese-made Mogami frigates, Japan would not play a part of the AUKUS pact alongside the US and UK

“AUKUS is an arrangement between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States and we’re very much focused on delivering that,” Mr Albanese said.

“Of course, the Mogami frigates that we are purchasing from Japan are going to be very important.”

He said the frigates will also be produced in Western Australia with the support of Japan.

Mr Albanese spruiked the critical minerals deal inked with the US last week after being asked whether China would question the agreement.

The agreement aims to challenge China’s global market dominance of critical minerals and rare earth elements.

“Just as Australia has benefited from resources in the last century, such as iron ore, that will continue,” Mr Albanese said.

“But we need to diversify our trade and where we get that economic growth and activity from and that’s why the deal was a good one.”

While at the summit, Mr Albanese also held talks with Philippines President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos and Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

The message of Mr Albanese’s tour was clear: that Australia needed to diversify trade and investment in Southeast Asia.

“In recent years, we’ve doubled our trade with this region,” he said.

“That means more jobs for Australians, more economic activity in Australia, as well as a more prosperous and secure region.”

Mr Albanese will say there is a need to uphold “international rules and norms” as Southeast Asia is the fastest growing in the world during an address to leaders at the summit on Tuesday afternoon.

“If we have more co-operation, more engagement, more free and fair trade, then that represents an opportunity for the entire region,” he said.

The prime minister will fly to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit on Wednesday.