Japan, U.S. hold 1st strategic talks on ASEAN, with China in sight

Japan and the United States held their first strategic dialogue Wednesday on Southeast Asian affairs as part of broader policy coordination in an area under increasing Chinese influence.Senior officials from the two governments met virtually after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed during talks last week in Tokyo to boost ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.Wednesday's session involved Takehiro Kano, director general of the Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs Department of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, and Daniel Kritenbrink, U.S. assistant …READ FULL ARTICLE