Foreign Minister Stephen Smith is to visit Japan this week, as debate rages around a compromise proposal on whaling.
Mr Smith heads to Shanghai in China today to visit the World Expo trade fair, before heading to Japan tomorrow.
He and Defence Minister John Faulkner will hold talks on defence, trade and other issues with their Japanese counterparts.
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It is not clear if they will raise the controversial issue of whaling. Australia vigorously opposes Japan's annual summer whale hunt in Antarctic waters.
This will be the third Australia-Japan foreign affairs and defence ministerial consultations with talks taking place on Wednesday and Thursday in Tokyo.
"Australia and Japan have made significant progress in developing our security relationship in recent years," Mr Smith and Senator Faulkner said in a statement.
"Australia's and Japan's comprehensive economic, security and strategic partnership, built on shared goals, values and interests, represents an important contribution to peace, security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region."
