Japan, Australia to sign accords on free trade

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott are expected to sign bilateral accords to boost free trade and cooperation on defense equipment and technology when they hold summit talks in the Australian capital Canberra on Tuesday.
On the second leg of his three-nation tour of Oceania, Abe will likely outline his vision for new Japan-Australia ties and point to the importance of the rule of law in a speech to the Australian parliament, the first by a Japanese leader, according to Japan's (Kyodo) News Agency.
Abe is also expected to explain Japan's recent move to reinterpret the pacifist Constitution to enable its Self-Defense Forces to come to the aid of allies under attack in collective self-defense, Japanese officials said.