Japan tests weapons in Australia as Wong reaffirms AUKUS — the buffet approach to alliances

SMH · Matthew Knott · Monday 4 May 2026

Japan tests weapons in Australia as Wong reaffirms AUKUS — the buffet approach to alliances

Tokyo gets to fire its more advanced kit on Australian soil under a deepening 'quasi-ally' arrangement, while Wong simultaneously insists AUKUS remains the bedrock.

Japan tests its rockets in our desert and Wong calls it 'quasi-allies' — the diplomatic equivalent of going steady without ever meeting the parents. Meanwhile the same press conference reaffirms AUKUS, because Canberra's foreign policy is a buffet where you load the plate until it collapses. Menzies picked one great and powerful friend. We're collecting them like fridge magnets.

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