Japan, ASEAN upgrade ties to boost maritime security amid China clout

Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Wednesday upgraded their relations to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" to further boost cooperation in maritime security and other areas amid China's increasing clout in the fast-growing region.The elevation of ties, announced at the ASEAN-Japan summit in Jakarta, comes as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled his country's human resources development plan for 5,000 people in domains such as maritime safety and digitalization over the next three years.Japan and other major powers, including the United States, have been …READ FULL ARTICLE