Australia wants Japan to build submarines for the country.
The front page of The Sydney Morning Herald, in a exclusive report, states that Japanese submarines have emerged as an alternative to the AUKUS alliance.
A former senior Australian defense official said that Australia's plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines through the AUKUS agreement carries significant risks, and the country should consider leasing submarines from Japan as a backup option. This comes as Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party leader, Sanae Takahashi, makes her first visit to Australia as Prime Minister.
Japan’s first female prime minister—who won a decisive victory in February after taking a hardline stance toward China—is expected to arrive in Canberra late last night, followed by talks today with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra. Albanese and Takahashi are expected to focus on enhancing economic security by strengthening energy and natural gas supplies to prepare for potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf region, and on cooperation in critical minerals to minimize the risk of China’s “economic coercion.”
Former Japanese ambassador to Australia, Yama no Nobuo, urged leaders to work together to ensure the Trump administration continues to prioritize the Indo-Pacific region, preventing Beijing from filling any “power vacuum” in the area.
Richard Gray, who has held several senior defense positions including Deputy Director of Defense Intelligence, called on Prime Minister Albanese to ask Takahashi whether Japan could provide a “backup solution” should the AUKUS project encounter major obstacles. Gray warned that if plans to extend the life of the navy’s aging Collins-class submarines and procure Virginia-class submarines run into problems, Australia could face a situation where it lacks autonomous submarine capability—an alarming prospect.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1864213773445120/
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