Japan, worried about China, strengthens ties with NATO

That's right China, get used to talking to the hand!

Anyone can give a down vote but can anyone debate the comments I've made on this topic?

"will deepen Japan’s cooperation with the Western military alliance in areas such as counter-piracy, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance"

Do these cooperations have anything to do with disputed island? Just another media cooking, isn't it?

“We will not tolerate any change of status quo through intimidation or coercion or force."

If that be the case, Afghanistan would still be ruled by the Taliban and Iraq would still be ruled by Saddam Hussein or his sons.

I'm not sure how NATO is going to help but it's better to have allies.

Let China *itch and moan about this as they play the role of the biggest hypocrite on earth!

i thought the U.S. is by far the biggest hypocrite on earth? how many iraqis died from illegal invasion searching for supposedly WMDs?

We will not tolerate any change of status quo through intimidation or coercion or force.

I absolutely agree with Abe-san. I am not sure, however, if a NATO forum is the most suitable occasion to reiterate this principle. In my memory, most of the recent NATO activities were actually wars (e.g., Serbia, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya), that resulted, to a various extend, in a change of the status quo.

Its only natural that free and democratic country will join hand with other free and democratic countries. Good move , Japan.

Abe is concerned about China's military spending so in response, he proposes to do the same thing?? Two wrongs don't make a right! I'm also curious of Abe's comparison of the Russian / Ukraine fighting, to the Chinese / Japan Island dispute. So far, no one from China or Japan has attacked one another over these tiny islands, (unlike the Russian / Ukraine dispute) I hope neither side has made up their minds, to actually go to war over this! We all have more to loose, than gain, from these actions.

Its difficult to see a negative in Japan's desire and willingness to take responsibility for its own security. Everyone benefits from this, the Japanese economy and especially the US. Let China *itch and moan about this as they play the role of the biggest hypocrite on earth!

Friends with benefits, excellence strategy!

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, concerned about China’s rising military spending and disputes with Beijing over islands in the East China Sea, signed a new partnership agreement with NATO on Tuesday

As they should. Japan needs to be able to play a bigger role in international security. The situation in Ukraine affects more than just Europe. It is unlikely that Russia will stop at just Ukraine either. All allied nations need to band together against any threat, be it Russia, China, or North Korea.

The Japanese are more and more appreciating the fact that their security does depend on what's happening in Europe.

It's just like it all panned out about 100 years ago...except this time any armed conflict won't take 4 years to resolve, it'll be over with the press of a couple of buttons.

it's like a game of intern'l chess with countries aligning themselves with difference BIG power-groups to juggle the ever-shifting power balance.

Good.