Japan and Australia can be a model for middle-power cooperation

ASPI The Strategist Institutional·2026-09-08AllianceP7: Alliance Architecture P5: Strategic Decoupling

Why it matters

This article documents a maturing Australia–Japan alliance focused on rules-based regionalism, resilience, and autonomy — directly advancing Pillar 7 (Alliance) beyond the US bilateral. The FOIP framework and CPTPP precedent position Australia within a durable coalition of democracies, reducing strategic isolation if US Indo-Pacific commitments falter.

Read the original report at ASPI The Strategist

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Where this sits in the model

This development bears on 2 of the eight pillars of Australian preparedness — the overall picture right now is 5/100.

P7: Alliance Architecture25/100 P5: Strategic Decoupling0/100

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The bigger picture

One signal in a live tracker of Australia's preparedness.

Every story here is scored against eight pillars — defence, energy, industry, fiscal reform, alliances and more — companion to the book Unprepared: Australia in an Age of Chinese Power.

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