ISTANBUL

Australia and Japan agreed on Friday to strengthen defense ties and protect their citizens in third countries, according to the Kyodo news agency.

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, and their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles, held a 2+2 meeting in Tokyo, marking the 12th such meeting between Canberra and Tokyo.

"We continue to look to areas where we can cooperate with Japan under the banner of AUKUS, or more generally, in terms of industrial collaboration, but also innovation," Marles told a joint news conference with Wong following the talks.

Regarding the Japanese Mogami-class frigate design chosen by Australia as its new general-purpose frigate, Marles said the parties are "now in the process of entering into negotiations."

The talks come amid China’s expanding influence in the wider Asia-Pacific region.

China held its largest military parade on Wednesday, with 26 foreign leaders in attendance, to commemorate Japan's surrender, which ended World War II in 1945.

Marles described this as a "very significant display of Chinese military capability."

Separately, public broadcaster NHK reported that Japan's Defense Ministry intends to survey and build new facilities on four islands in the southwestern prefectures of Kagoshima and Okinawa, with the possibility of expanding to other areas, to strengthen regional defense capabilities.

The ministry has been planning to acquire land in the area to build facilities related to Self-Defense Forces' drills and logistical operations, such as a training ground, a heliport, ammunition storage, and other facilities.