Japan, Australia Should Cooperate More in the Push for Democracy

The study suggests that infrastructure efforts without a push for democratic values will fail to counter malign influences.

Navy ships from U.S., Japan, Australia and Philippines participating in joint exercises on April 7, 2024, in a still from video.

Japan and Australia should not only cooperate on military development but work together on countering coercion and anti-democratic trends in the Indo-Pacific, according to a report published by the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre (USSC).

The report titled “Aligning Values and Interests: Japanese and Australian democracy support in the Pacific and Southeast Asia,” emphasised that efforts to provide aid and infrastructure in the region will fail to counter malign influences without an accompanying push for democratic values.