Japan Prime Minister stresses US role in Asia-Pacific security

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stressed on Friday the importance of close ties with the United States for regional stability, as he seeks to arrange a meeting with President Donald Trump.

During his speech in the parliament, Ishiba said "the balance of power in the region undergoes a historic change, deepening Japan-US cooperation further in a concrete manner".

He stressed that Tokyo must also "continue to secure the US commitment to the region”. He added that "Japan-US leadership is essential to strengthen the free and open Indo-Pacific by establishing multi-layered security networks".