Japanese troops to train with Australia, US militaries in Darwin

17/11/2024 16:57

        Japanese troops will begin regular deployments in northern Australia as part of military cooperation with Australia and the U.S., Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Sunday.
        
        Around 2,000 U.S. Marines are already hosted in Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, for six months of the year amid growing concern among Washington and its allies about China's growing military power in the Indo Pacific region.
        
        "Today we are announcing that there will be regular deployments of Japan's amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade to Australia," Marles said at a televised press conference in Darwin, alongside U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani.
        
        "Having a more forward leaning opportunity for greater training with Japan and the U.S. together is a really fantastic opportunity for our defence," Marles told Sky News on Sunday, according to a transcript.
        
        Austin also said on Sunday he was confident the U.S. will provide the capabilities set out in the AUKUS deal, which will see Australia buy U.S. nuclear submarines and develop a new class of nuclear-powered submarines with the U.S. and Britain.