Australia's top uniformed officer wary of military buildup in Indo-Pacific

TOKYO - Australia's Chief of the Defense Force Adm. Mark Hammond on Thursday expressed concern that the military buildup in the Indo-Pacific region is proceeding without "the reassurance that comes through transparency and dialogue."

The region appears to be experiencing "the largest increase and modernization of military capability since World War II," Hammond said in his first interview with a Japanese media organization since assuming the role in July.