Southeast Asian military officers have embarked on a four-day tour of the South China Sea on the Japanese navy's Izumo helicopter carrier in the latest sign Japan is stepping up efforts to counter growing Chinese influence. The officers from the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) joined the Japanese ship in Singapore on Monday, the Japanese Ministry of Defense said in an outline of the plan. Other ASEAN military representatives will attend a separate three-day event from Tuesday in Japan, to observe Self Defense Forces (SDF) military disaster relief drills, the ministry said. "It is the first time we have done this," a ministry official said at a press briefing in Tokyo.
