US Pacific admiral: Ties with Japan key to regional security

By HARUKA NUGA
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — The U.S. Navy’s top commander in the Pacific and the Japanese defense minister say that close cooperation between their naval forces is more important than ever in the region amid rising tensions over China, North Korea and Russia. Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Sam Paparo on Friday that the American naval presence in the region is indispensable to maintain and strengthen a “free and open” Indo-Pacific, a vision of a rules-based framework that the two allies have promoted as a counter to China’s rise. Japan has pledged to further bolster its military capability and spending in coming years.