Against the backdrop of an assertive China's territorial disputes with its neighbours, Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso today said India, Japan, the US and Australia should expand their security cooperation for regional security.
Speaking at a a FICCI function here, he said Japan has decided to increase its spending on defence to build up maritime facilities in view of Chinese plans to build its Navy.
"We need that the US, India, Japan and perhaps Australia should enhance their security cooperation... It is important to the regional security," said Aso who is also Japan's Finance Minister.
The Japanese minister was asked about the level of economic and military cooperation between India, Japan, Australia and the US in view of the incursion by Chinese troops in Ladakh.
In East China Sea, Japan and China have issues over the sovereignty of certain islands there which are claimed by both the sides. China also has territorial disputes with Vietnam and the Philippines.
Aso said Japan shares a maritime border with China but the two countries have not shared good relations historically.
Stating that India and Japan are both maritime democracies, he said "what happens in the Western Pacific should affect your interests and what happens in the Indian Ocean Region should affect the interests of my country."
Most importantly, both the countries know that they must be good stewards of freedom of movement, he added.
