Japan, Australia agree to propel revision of security declaration

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his Australian counterpart Marise Payne agreed Saturday to "work strenuously" toward revising their 2007 joint declaration on security cooperation, the Japanese government said, apparently in the face of China's increasing military presence.The agreement came as they met on the sidelines of the "Quad" meeting also involving the United States and India held in Melbourne where the four countries reaffirmed their commitment to realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific.Related coverage:Quad foreign ministers vow support for sovereignty protectionREAD FULL ARTICLE