Japan is gravely concerned about actions in the South China Sea that are raising tensions, and strongly opposes any unilateral attempt to change the status quo, its foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Speaking in Manila, Iwaya Takeshi said that his country’s partnership with Southeast Asia was “vital for regional peace and stability,”

Four major developments shaped the security environment in the South China Sea in 2024: (1) increased Chinese coercion against Philippine naval vessels and aircraft; (2) adoption of a new maritime defense strategy by the Philippines;

Japan on Wednesday called for a lowering of tensions amid China's actions in the South China Sea, which includes parts of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya issued the statement during his meeting with his Filipino counterpart,

Japan and the Philippines plan to convey to President-elect Donald Trump the urgent need for the U.S. to remain committed to upholding the rule of law in an Asian region where China's actions are causing concerns.

Japan, the United States, the Philippines and Australia conducted a joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea on April 7 as China also dispatched its own patrols the same day in the sea.

MANILA: Japan and the Philippines vowed on Wednesday (Jan 15) to strengthen security cooperation to counter China's actions in key sea trade routes, amid speculation incoming United States President Donald Trump could scale back security commitments in Asia.

New U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed China's "dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea" with his Philippine counterpart on Wednesday and underscored the "ironclad" U.S.

A Philippine security official says China is “pushing us to the wall” with growing aggression in the disputed South China Sea and warned that “all options are on the table” for Manila’s response, incl

Both nations plan to engage Trump's administration and China diplomatically to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Philippines has threatened international lawsuits against China for the action, which it says is another sign of the country's ongoing aggression in the area.

Japan is gravely concerned about actions in the South China Sea that are raising tensions, and strongly opposes any unilateral attempt to change the status quo, its foreign minister said on Wednesday.