FOCUS: Japan navigates varying agendas in Southeast Asia security cooperation push

Japan has been increasingly expanding security cooperation with Southeast Asian nations in recent years, providing defense equipment to bolster their capabilities amid China's growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.But analysts caution against assuming that defense cooperation will automatically translate into strategic alignment, noting that national priorities vary widely across the region.The Japanese government views the current international situation as "the most severe and complex security environment" since World War II and has sought to strengthen cooperation with like-mi…READ FULL ARTICLE