Japan to step up engagement in South China Sea

Tokyo

JAPAN's new defence minister said on Thursday her nation would step up activity in the South China Sea, in comments made less than two weeks after Chinese President Xi Jinping urged Japan to "exercise caution" in the waters.

"Japan on its part will increase its engagement in the South China Sea through, for example, Maritime Self-Defense Force joint training cruises with the US Navy, bilateral and multi-lateral exercises with regional navies, as well as providing capacity building assistance to coastal nations," Tomomi Inada said in a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.