David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Lambie for that important question. For 70 years now Japan has conducted itself in stark contrast to its history in the 1930s and 40s, and is a peace-loving country that has a constitution that has set it on a path of peace and harmony with both its neighbours and the rest of the world. The fact is we have served in a number of places with Japanese troops. We have been in Cambodia, we have been in East Timor, we have been in Iraq and we are currently in South Sudan with Japan Self-Defense Force members. Those Japan Self-Defense Force members are very, very honourable people. They have conducted themselves in difficult circumstances, in ways where they have extreme restrictions on their rules of engagement. They have participated in harm's way in a way that has been very honourable. Indeed, recently, as I am sure Senator Lambie knows, we have sought to have an increased defence relationship with Japan.

Currently, Japan has for at least 25 years been participating with the United States and with Australia in various trilateral exercises. Currently, Japan participates in RIMPAC every second year, an exercise put on in Hawaii by the United States Navy, by the Central Pacific Command. In all of those instances, Japan has conducted itself with great honour and integrity, and, I say, in contrast to what has gone before historically. Indeed, commercially, our relationship with Japan, more widely, has been a very successful one for Australia. (Time expired)