FOCUS: U.S-China tensions over Taiwan could prompt Japan to ramp up defenses

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan has triggered cross-strait tensions and infuriated China while delivering a blow to relations between Washington and Beijing, but it may also prompt Japan to ramp up military spending as Tokyo moves to bolster its defenses.A series of angry reactions from China came after the highest-level U.S. visit to Taiwan in 25 years was made in defiance of repeated warnings from Beijing, which regards the self-ruled democratic island as its own.With Pelosi pledging an "ironclad" U.S. determination to preserve democracy during a meeting on Wednesday wit…READ FULL ARTICLE