Staunch U.S. ally Japan has recently been more outspoken on questioning China’s assertiveness on issues such as the disputed South China Sea and self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its territory.At the same time, Japan’s ruling party plans to review defense posture amid China’s military buildup and it aims to increase defense spending sharply.
Yoshimasa Hayashi, in his first news conference as foreign minister, stressed the importance of constructive, stable relations with China. “Ties between Japan and China are increasingly important not just for our two countries, but for the peace and prosperity of the region and the international community,” Hayashi said. “We need to assert and ask for responsible behavior while at the same time, maintain dialogue and firmly cooperate on shared challenges,” he said.
