Head of US Marines vows to bolster defense in southern Japan

By HARUKA NUGA
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — The head of the U.S. Marine Corps says his forces are committed to defending southwestern Japanese islands as the allies try to bolster their defenses amid growing threats from China and Russia. Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder said at the beginning of talks with Japanese Defense Minister Nibuo Kishi that the U.S. Marine presence is focused on the so-called first island chain in the western Pacific _ the string of islands stretching from Japan’s East China Sea islands through the Philippines that has traditionally defined a boundary of China’s sphere of influence. His comments come on the heels of China’s and Russia’s increased naval activity around Japan. Japan spotted a fleet of seven Russian warships Thursday off the southern cost of Chiba.