U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's meeting next week with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may mark the start of talks to garner Japan's support for a push back against China's growing influence in Asia, a security adviser to Trump said.
In the face of a rising China and a volatile North Korea, Trump's campaign comments, including a demand that Japan pay more for the upkeep of U.S. forces on its soil, have worried Tokyo about a rift in a security alliance with Washington that has been the bedrock of its defense since World War II.
A tougher stance against China, however, and a call for Japan to play a bigger security role through a Trump-Abe axis would fit with Abe's hawkish policies that include allowing the military to operate more freely overseas.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.