Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has lauded late Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe for being integral to establishing the Quad security dialogue.
Mr Albanese invoked Mr Abe's work advancing common interests in the region when speaking of the importance of Australia's relationship with Japan and the United States.
The prime minister met with Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida and US vice president Kamala Harris ahead of the funeral in Tokyo.
Mr Albanese thanked the US for its interest in, and support for, the region.
"We live in uncertain times, there is strategic competition. It is something we are very conscious of in the Pacific," he said.
Ms Harris pledged to work towards the "combined goal of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific".
She also lauded Australia's new emissions reduction target, saying Mr Albanese "received admiration" for his climate goals.
The US recently passed the Inflation Reduction Act, providing hundreds of billions of dollars for climate action.
"We believe the combination of the two will accelerate the work our two nations can do," she told the prime minister.
"That will be to the benefit of the people of our two nations and the benefit to people around the world."
Speaking at the start of a bilateral meeting with Mr Kishida, Mr Albanese said the two nations were working towards a free and open Indo-Pacific.
"(It) is so important we continue to work together and to work with our partners as well to advance the common interest," he said.
Mr Albanese offered his condolences for the death of Mr Abe, saying there was a high-level attendance from Australia "to pay our respects and show our respects to not just his family but to the people of Japan".
Mr Albanese is in Tokyo with former prime ministers John Howard, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull to pay tribute to Mr Abe, who was assassinated in July.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape also travelled with Mr Albanese.
"We are here to celebrate the life of Shinzo Abe. The tragic circumstances of this assassination is something which reverberated around the world," Mr Albanese told reporters in Tokyo.
"I'm here with three former prime ministers. What that says is how important the relationship between Australia and Japan is but it also says how important the respect is and the standing Shinzo Abe had."
Mr Abe was Japan's longest-serving prime minister, from 2006 to 2007 and 2012 to 2020.
He was instrumental in elevating Australia's relationship with Japan to a special strategic partnership and central to the formation of the Quad partnership involving his country, Australia, India and the US.
His funeral will take place at the Nippon Budokan.
© AAP 2022