Japan vows to deepen defense ties with Australia at Nikkei forum in Perth

Forum to feature discussion of rare earths, mining and trade cooperation

Western Australia Premier Roger Cook delivers a keynote address at the Nikkei Asia Forum in Perth on April 28. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)

TOKYO/PERTH -- Japan will look to deepen its defense cooperation with Australia to deal with an "increasingly severe" security situation in the Indo-Pacific, its defense minister said at a Nikkei forum on Tuesday.