Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi speaks to reporters as New Zealand defense chief Chris Penk (left) and Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles listen on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on Saturday. | JIJI Singapore – The defense chiefs of Japan, Australia and New Zealand held their first-ever trilateral meeting Saturday in Singapore, signaling the emergence of a new regional security format as the partners explore the potential three-way expansion of Tokyo’s Mogami-class frigate program. Held on the margins of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum, the breakfast meeting came as Wellington eyes purchasing the same class of advanced warships that Japan recently sold to Australia in order to maintain interoperability with its only formal defense ally. The gathering was attended by Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Australian and New Zealand counterparts, Richard Marles and Chris Penk, marking their first encounter in this specific format.…