Japan, India agree on closer security cooperation with eye on China

TOKYO -- Japan and India agreed Thursday to bolster bilateral cooperation on maritime security, including by expanding joint drills and setting up a high-level defense dialogue, as China continues to build up its maritime presence.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in Tokyo for the countries' second "two-plus-two" talks. The four ministers affirmed their opposition to attempts to unilaterally change the status quo -- a reference to Chinese expansionism in the East China Sea and the South China Sea.