Australia moves close to buying Japanese submarines

By Lindsay Murdoch
Updated November 14 2014 - 1:08am, first published November 13 2014 - 12:40pm
Defence purchases discussed: Prime Minister Tony Abbott chats with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the East Asia Summit in Myanmar.
Defence purchases discussed: Prime Minister Tony Abbott chats with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the East Asia Summit in Myanmar.
Defence purchases discussed: Prime Minister Tony Abbott chats with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the East Asia Summit in Myanmar.
Defence purchases discussed: Prime Minister Tony Abbott chats with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the East Asia Summit in Myanmar.
Rights concerns: Tony Abbott meets Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Photo: David Foote
Rights concerns: Tony Abbott meets Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Photo: David Foote
Defence purchases discussed: Prime Minister Tony Abbott chats with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the East Asia Summit in Myanmar.
Defence purchases discussed: Prime Minister Tony Abbott chats with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the East Asia Summit in Myanmar.
Defence purchases discussed: Prime Minister Tony Abbott chats with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the East Asia Summit in Myanmar.
Defence purchases discussed: Prime Minister Tony Abbott chats with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the East Asia Summit in Myanmar.
Considered by Australia: A Japanese diesel-electric Soryu submarine. Photo: Reuters/Japan Maritime Self-Defence Forces
Considered by Australia: A Japanese diesel-electric Soryu submarine. Photo: Reuters/Japan Maritime Self-Defence Forces

Australia's move to spend billions of dollars buying a new fleet of submarines from Japan has moved a step closer during a meeting between Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe.