Japan hypersonic missiles set for Australian tests under decade-long defence arrangement as China threat rises

Japan is set to test hypersonic missiles and other advanced weapons on Australian soil as both nations push to increase military cooperation against a “challenging and volatile” strategic landscape.

On Tuesday Defence Minister Richard Marles hosted security talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi in Canberra, but in a separate meeting Anthony Albanese passed up a chance to apologise in person for the recent “Melongate” controversy.

Following formal security talks in Canberra, Mr Marles said both countries were also strengthening information sharing between their defence forces, and declared the military relationship was now at a “high point”.

“At a time in the world where our strategic landscape is challenging and volatile, we deeply appreciate the relationship that we have with Japan. We have never been more strategically aligned,” he said.

Mr Marles also revealed negotiations were advancing an agreement for greater Japanese access to local weapons testing facilities, a move that will be closely watched by China’s military.

“We have agreed to progress a better and enhanced arrangement between Australia and Japan for Japan’s use of our missile ranges over the next decade across a range of missile capabilities, including Japan’s hypersonic missile program,” he told reporters.

Months after Tokyo announced it had operationally deployed its first batch of long-range strike missiles in the field, Mr Koizumi described the prospect of testing in Australia as a “groundbreaking development” and “second only to similar cooperation with the United States.”

Military sources have told The Nightly that the vast and remote Woomera site in South Australia has become particularly attractive for partner nations in recent times to test advanced weapons, with waiting times to use the facility growing longer.

Both ministers also noted the “steady” progress on Australia’s multibillion-dollar project to acquire a new fleet of Japanese designed Mogami general-purpose frigates, following the signing of a deal earlier this year.

“We remain on course to see the first of those vessels in service in the Royal Australian Navy this decade, making it one of the fastest acquisitions of a surface combatant into the Royal Australian Navy in our history”, Mr Marles said alongside his Japanese guest.

“We could not be happier with the level of cooperation that we are having with the Japanese Government in respect of that, but also the level of cooperation that we are having with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.”

The two ministers also announced successful trials of a jointly developed high-energy laser that can detect incoming missile and drone threats, named the Boobook project in honour of an Australian owl “that can see very well in the dark”.

Earlier Mr Koizumi became the first Japanese Defence Minister to visit the highly secure Joint Operations Command headquarters outside Canberra, and the Nightly has been told he also toured the cyber intelligence agency, the Australian Signals Directorate.

Tuesday’s meeting was the first high-level Japanese visit to Australia since Mr Albanese’s comments about the country’s leader Sanae Takaichi in a recent podcast where he joked about her “strange” diplomatic gift of melons, while making hand gestures.

Japan’s visiting Defence Minister said Tokyo had accepted Australia’s explanation for the “crass” melons remarks and insisted the controversy was not discussed during his meetings with Mr Albanese and Mr Marles.

“There was not such a discussion today,” the Japanese Defence Minister told reporters.

“Before I visited Australia, the Australian side had already told the Japanese side that Mr Albanese actually said … he did not really mean it that way.”

Last week The Nightly revealed Japanese officials were surprised to see diplomatic correspondence from Tokyo about the incident leaked to Australian media, prompting the opposition to refer the matter to federal police.

Following formal correspondence from Liberal frontbencher James Paterson, the Australian Federal Police has now confirmed it would examine the opposition’s referral.

“The Australian Federal Police takes allegations of unauthorised disclosures of Commonwealth information seriously and assesses all reports in accordance with its legislative responsibilities and established investigative processes,” an AFP letter said.

“Your correspondence has been referred to Special Investigations Command, where the material will be reviewed and an updated provided at an appropriate time,” it said in a letter to Senator Paterson.