Japan, ASEAN bolster ties at summit amid China tension

Tokyo, December 17

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Leaders from Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, at a special summit on Sunday marking their 50th anniversary of friendship, adopted a joint vision that emphasises security and economic cooperation while respecting the rule of law amid growing tensions with China in regional seas.

N korea fires missile

North Korea on Sunday fired a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters, South Korea said, in a possible display of defiance against the latest steps by Washington and Seoul to tighten their nuclear deterrence plans against North Korean threats.

Ties between Japan and ASEAN used to be largely based on Japanese assistance to the developing economies, in part due to lingering bitterness over Japan’s wartime actions. But in recent years the ties have focused more on security amid China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea. — AP