The Japanese and U.S. defense chiefs agreed over the phone on Friday to further strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the bilateral alliance in light of the increasingly severe security environment.Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters after the talks that he and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also exchanged views over the current situation in the East and South China seas, where China is expanding its military presence.The talks, held at the request of the United States, came as Austin wrapped up his trip to Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines from Monday.…READ FULL ARTICLE
