Japan-U.S.-Australia-India Talks: Quad Nations Must Deepen Cooperation in Sphere of Economic Security

Editorial

15:28 JST, July 4, 2025

China has been strengthening its hegemonic activities. Under such circumstances, it is significant that the foreign ministers of Japan, the United States, Australia and India confirmed their unity on economic security.

The foreign ministers of the Quad, a framework for cooperation among the four countries, met in Washington. After the meeting, a joint statement was released, focusing on cooperation toward the realization of a “free and open Indo-Pacific” and securing supply chains for critical minerals, among other topics.

China, which produces large quantities of rare earths and other important minerals, is using its exports of the minerals as a diplomatic card to exert pressure on other countries. For their part, Japan, the United States, Australia and India aim to counter China by securing important minerals on their own.

Specifically, they envision extracting critical minerals from personal computers and other electronic equipment at waste disposal sites and elsewhere in Southeast Asia and reusing them.

Also, abundant rare earths have been confirmed to exist on the seabed of Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around Minami-Torishima Island. Cooperation with the United States, Australia and India in commercializing the mining would be an idea.

Many believe that the target of China’s recent aggressive operations of its naval and other vessels in the Pacific Ocean is Japan’s seabed resources. If the Quad countries cooperate in projects in Japan’s EEZ, it could also be expected to have the effect of deterring such moves by China.

This summer, for the first time, personnel from the coast guard organizations of Japan, Australia and India boarded a U.S. Coast Guard patrol vessel and conducted training in the Pacific Ocean, including warning and surveillance activities.

India has maintained its position of nonalignment, and the Quad is primarily focused on economic cooperation. China’s continued aggressive maritime expansion in the East China Sea and the South China Sea has increased the momentum for the four countries to cooperate in the security area.

A meeting of the Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee, also known as the two-plus-two security talks, consisting of Japanese and U.S. ministers in charge of foreign and defense affairs, was scheduled to be held in conjunction with the Quad talks, but was canceled. It is believed that the meeting was canceled at the request of Japan, which was wary of the U.S. demand for an increase in its defense spending.

The two-plus-two meeting is a framework for discussing the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan and the reduction of the burden on Okinawa Prefecture in hosting bases, among other issues. Since last year, the two countries have also been discussing extended deterrence to defend Japan with U.S. military capabilities, including nuclear weapons.

It would be unacceptable for Japan to cancel such an important conference. If the U.S. side asks Japan for an increase in defense spending, the ideal form of an ally would be to thoroughly explain Japan’s efforts and gain understanding from the United States.

At the foreign ministers’ meeting between Japan and the United States, which was held in place of the two-plus-two talks, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for strengthening Japan’s defense capabilities. It is quite natural that Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya conveyed Japan’s intention to proceed with that at its own discretion.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 4, 2025)