This week in Australian foreign affairs: Japanese Mogami-class frigate selected as the preferred platform for the Royal Australian Navy Frigate program; Wong announces more humanitarian assistance for Gaza; a new trade mission to Japan, and more.
On 5 August Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles joined Minister for Defence Industry and Minister for Pacific Island Affairs Pat Conroy to announce the selection of the upgraded Japanese Mogami-class frigate as the preferred platform for the Royal Australian Navy’s future fleet of general purpose frigates. The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ vessel were selected after a “rigorous and competitive tender process,” citing its ability to “quickly meet the capability requirements and strategic needs of the Australian Defence Force.” The vessel offers a range of up to 10,000 nautical miles, a 32-cell Vertical Launch System, and advanced missile systems. Defence Minister announcements emphasised that the first three frigates will be built in Japan and delivered “five years earlier than planned by the former Coalition government,” with the first operational in 2030. The $55 billion surface combatant program will replace the ageing Anzac-class frigates, boost undersea and air defence capabilities, and support “in the order of 10,000 well-paid, high-skilled jobs” over the next two decades.
Foreign Minister Penny joined Minister for Small Business, Minister for International Development Anne Aly on 4 August to announce humanitarian assistance for Gaza. “Australia will provide an additional $20 million to support organisations with the scale and capacity to respond quickly to deliver food, medical supplies for field hospitals and other lifesaving support to women and children in Gaza, following the announcement of new humanitarian corridors,” the announcement reads. This brings the Australian Government’s commitment to Gaza to more than $130 million since 7 October 2023. The new package of support includes: “$2 million for relief support with the UK, through our existing partnership arrangement; $6 million to the UN World Food Programme for the provision and distribution of food supplies; $5 million to UNICEF for nutritional support to children at risk of starvation; $5 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross to meet essential needs, including access to healthcare; $2 million to the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization, expanding our cooperation with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to provide medical supplies to support the operation of field hospitals in Gaza.”
Also on 5 August, Minister for Trade and Tourism and Special Minister of State Don Farrell announced a fifth new trade mission arrived in Japan. As part of this mission, twelve First Nations-owned businesses will travel to Osaka and Tokyo, with each business showcasing the strength and innovation of the world’s oldest continuing cultures, to coincide with Te Aratini Indigenous Peoples Week at the 2025 Osaka World Expo. “Japan is one of Australia’s most trusted and enduring trading partners with two-way trade in 2023–24 reaching approximately $104 billion,” the announcement reads. “This mission reflects the Albanese Labor Government’s strong commitment to ensuring our First Nations people share in the benefits and prosperity that flow from trade and investment.”
Dr Adam Bartley is the managing editor for AIIA’s Australian Outlook and weekly columnist for The Week in Australian Foreign Affairs. He is a former Fulbright Scholar and non-resident fellow at the Elliot School for International Affairs, the George Washington University. Adam also has positions as post-doctoral fellow at the Centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation RMIT University and as program manager of the AI Trilateral Experts Group. He can be found on Twitter here.
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