South China Morning Post
Japan key to US plan to rally allies against China in Indo-Pacific, observers say
Japan is expected to play a prominent role in the new US administration’s efforts to rally its allies in the Indo-Pacific region – including the South China Sea – in an attempt to counter China’s rise, according to observers. In a move that will deepen unease among Beijing policymakers, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin used his first conversation with his Japanese counterpart Nobuo Kishi to reaffirm Washington’s commitment to its partnership with Tokyo. He also urged him to “strengthen Japan’s contribution to the role the alliance continues to play in providing security in the Indo-Pacific region”. Japan could be…