Japan minister says aims to raise security ties with Australia to new levels

Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Wednesday he aimed to hold talks with Australia's foreign and defence ministers on strengthening bilateral cooperation to raise the two countries' security ties to new levels.

Motegi made the comment at the start of a meeting, via video conferencing, between foreign and defence ministers from Japan and Australia.

Meanwhile, Japan and Australia said on Wednesday they had 'serious concerns' about reported human rights abuses against Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in China's Xinjiang region.

In a joint statement, they also expressed concern about recent moves that they said weakened Hong Kong's democratic institutions, and grave concerns about the ongoing crisis in Myanmar.

The meeting, between the foreign and defence ministers of both nations, took place via video conferencing.