Japan, US to work together for peace in Taiwan Strait
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Tokyo: As tension is mounting in Taiwan Strait following China's military drills, Japan and the United States agreed on Friday to work together for peace in the region.
China fired five missiles during the military drills that landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone, Reuters reported.
In the midst of these events, US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at his official residence, to discuss the volatile situation.
Later Kishida reportedly said the two allies would work together to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, which is a key shipping route.
Japan, though a close ally of USA, is nervous about China's towering presence in the Indo-Pacific and is concerned about Beijing's possible invasion of Taiwan.
Japan's southernmost islands are closer to Taiwan than Tokyo; given this, Japan said that Chinese intimidation of Taiwan is an escalating national security threat, according to the report.
Nancy Pelosi during her whirlwind visit to Asia is in Japan making the highest-level visit to the nation by a US official in 25 years.
Earlier shed made an unannounced stop in Taiwan, the self-ruled island Beijing which considers its own, irking China.
In response to Pelosi's visit, China started off what its state broadcaster said the largest military drill by China in Taiwan Strait.
Pelosi on Thursday visited South Korea where she pledged support to denuclearise North Korea.