Tacking towards Australia: Japan's move to diversify its security and defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, Politics News – ThinkChina

The 4th Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) Foreign Minister’s Meeting was held in Australia in February 2022. Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa participated in the Quad meeting involving Australia, India, Japan and the US. However, despite the members’ discussion about various forms of cooperation, the Chinese foreign ministry intensified its criticism of the Quad, commenting on its "outdated Cold War mentality". Hayashi attended bilateral meetings with other foreign ministers on the sidelines of the Quad meeting, notably with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne on 12 February, which is considered a major development in Japan-Australia relations which produced what some have called…