Information provided by Japan on Tuesday said that a meeting in Tokyo have been arranged for the upcoming week among the highest diplomats from the USA, India, Australia and Japan, which will be conducted face to face in discussing how to counteract COVID-19 and strengthen cooperation. Over these recent years, a strategic grouping termed the “Quad” has been constituted by these four nations, which is intended to operate as a counterweight to China and promote their vision of a ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar will gather in the meeting on October 6.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi declared he would host the four-way talks – this meeting is the second one based on such discussions following the first which was conducted in New York previous year. This will mark the first ministerial-level global meeting hosted by Japan during the COVID-19 era, and also since Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga took power this month.

Japan is moving gradually to open its borders to more foreigners, particularly business travellers, while it continues preparation for conduction of the Olympics next summer.