<p>Top diplomats from the United States, India, Australia and Japan will gather in Tokyo next week for rare face-to-face talks on tackling the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/coronavirus-live-news-covid-19-latest-updates.html" target="_blank">coronavirus</a> and strengthening co-operation, Japan said Tuesday.</p>.<p>The four nations have in recent years formed a strategic grouping -- known as the "Quad" -- meant to serve as a counterweight to China and promote their vision of a "free and open Indo-Pacific".</p>.<p>The meeting on October 6 will be attended by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.</p>.<p>Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi announced he would host the four-way talks -- the second such meeting after the first was held in New York last year.</p>.<p>"It is the right time for these like-minded foreign ministers to gather in Tokyo for face-to-face talks, to exchange views about how to deal with issues that have emerged from the spread of the coronavirus, along with regional affairs," he told reporters at a regular briefing.</p>.<p>It will be the first ministerial-level international meeting hosted by Japan since the pandemic began, and also since Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga took power this month.</p>.<p>Japan is moving gradually to open its borders to more foreigners, particularly business travellers, as it prepares to hold the postponed Olympics next summer.</p>
<p>Top diplomats from the United States, India, Australia and Japan will gather in Tokyo next week for rare face-to-face talks on tackling the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/coronavirus-live-news-covid-19-latest-updates.html" target="_blank">coronavirus</a> and strengthening co-operation, Japan said Tuesday.</p>.<p>The four nations have in recent years formed a strategic grouping -- known as the "Quad" -- meant to serve as a counterweight to China and promote their vision of a "free and open Indo-Pacific".</p>.<p>The meeting on October 6 will be attended by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.</p>.<p>Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi announced he would host the four-way talks -- the second such meeting after the first was held in New York last year.</p>.<p>"It is the right time for these like-minded foreign ministers to gather in Tokyo for face-to-face talks, to exchange views about how to deal with issues that have emerged from the spread of the coronavirus, along with regional affairs," he told reporters at a regular briefing.</p>.<p>It will be the first ministerial-level international meeting hosted by Japan since the pandemic began, and also since Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga took power this month.</p>.<p>Japan is moving gradually to open its borders to more foreigners, particularly business travellers, as it prepares to hold the postponed Olympics next summer.</p>