Japan PM candidates eye ties with friendly nations as China rises

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Candidates in Japan's ruling party leadership election on Saturday underlined the importance of bolstering ties with like-minded partners in Asia and beyond to cope with the rise of an assertive China and provocative North Korea.

While the security alliance with the United States remains key for Japan, the contenders showed different visions on the shape of future multilateral cooperation, ranging from the creation of an Asian-style NATO collective security arrangement to a more loose network of countries that share values and objectives.