ID :
196341
Thu, 07/21/2011 - 16:20
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https://oananews.org//node/196341
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Japan, Australia to strengthen antidisaster, security cooperation+
NUSA DUA, Indonesia, July 21 Kyodo -
Japan and Australia agreed Thursday to step up cooperation in the areas of disaster response and security in the Asia-Pacific region, following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan, Japanese officials said.
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto and his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd, who met in Bali on the sidelines of meetings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, also confirmed that talks between the two countries' foreign and defense ministers will be held in Australia possibly in September, they said.
The upcoming ''two-plus-two'' meeting is expected to discuss specific measures for future bilateral collaboration in disaster and emergency management.
Following the March 11 disaster, Australia offered airlift services by dispatching three military transport planes to Japan and sent a 75-member search and rescue team to the tsunami-ravaged area.
Matsumoto reiterated Tokyo's gratitude for Australia's postquake assistance and requested that Canberra revise its advice regarding travel to Japan in light of current conditions, the officials said.
At present, the Australian government advises nationals not to travel within 80 kilometers of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, where a disaster-triggered emergency continues.
Australians are also recommended to reconsider their need to travel to affected coastal areas in eastern and northeastern Japan, due to limitations on essential services, infrastructure damage and ongoing recovery operations.
In his meeting with Rudd, Matsumoto also asked Australia to take measures to stop the conservation group Sea Shepherd from obstructing Japan's whaling fleet, the officials said.
==Kyodo
Japan and Australia agreed Thursday to step up cooperation in the areas of disaster response and security in the Asia-Pacific region, following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan, Japanese officials said.
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto and his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd, who met in Bali on the sidelines of meetings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, also confirmed that talks between the two countries' foreign and defense ministers will be held in Australia possibly in September, they said.
The upcoming ''two-plus-two'' meeting is expected to discuss specific measures for future bilateral collaboration in disaster and emergency management.
Following the March 11 disaster, Australia offered airlift services by dispatching three military transport planes to Japan and sent a 75-member search and rescue team to the tsunami-ravaged area.
Matsumoto reiterated Tokyo's gratitude for Australia's postquake assistance and requested that Canberra revise its advice regarding travel to Japan in light of current conditions, the officials said.
At present, the Australian government advises nationals not to travel within 80 kilometers of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, where a disaster-triggered emergency continues.
Australians are also recommended to reconsider their need to travel to affected coastal areas in eastern and northeastern Japan, due to limitations on essential services, infrastructure damage and ongoing recovery operations.
In his meeting with Rudd, Matsumoto also asked Australia to take measures to stop the conservation group Sea Shepherd from obstructing Japan's whaling fleet, the officials said.
==Kyodo
