Foreign minister Julie Bishop has foreshadowed closer co-operation with Japan on defence matters ahead of a meeting between the foreign ministers and defence ministers from both countries.
Ms Bishop and Australia's new defence minister Marise Payne met their Japanese counterparts for talks in Sydney on Sunday.
Ms Bishop reiterated the government's support for historic legislative changes Japan made in September that allow its troops to fight overseas for the first time since World War II.
"We strongly support Japan's security reform legislation which will allow Japan to make an even greater contribution to international peace and stability," she said.
Australian and Japan already cooperate on disaster relief and in the future would work closely together "for the betterment of our region and beyond," Ms Bishop said.
Senator Payne, attending her first "two-plus-two" meeting of foreign and defence ministers from Australia and Japan, said she had discussed the recent terrorist attacks in Paris with Japanese defence minister Gen Nakatani on Saturday and the events would be an ongoing area of attention.
Senator Payne said the Asia-Pacific region is becoming "increasingly complex" and she hoped Sunday's joint talks would reveal more about how Japan's changed legislation might enable its Self-Defence Forces to do more with Australia's military in regional security matters.
The four ministers are due to hold a press conference after their meeting on Sunday afternoon.
