Japan’s Suga voices ‘grave concerns’ over China’s maritime actions in call to India’s Modi

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Monday voiced “grave concerns” over China’s aggressive actions in surrounding waters in phone talks with Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

Suga relayed Tokyo’s worries about Beijing’s “intensifying unilateral attempts to change the status quo” in the East and South China seas, including the recent introduction of a law allowing its coastguard to use weapons against ships it views as intruding into its territory, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The leaders affirmed the importance of Japan and India cooperating to realise a “free and open Indo-Pacific” region, the ministry said, along with other countries including the United States and Australia.

The four countries, also known as the Quad, have been bolstering ties as a counter to China’s growing economic and military clout.

Beijing is embroiled in a number of territorial disputes, including in the East China Sea over the Japanese-administered Diaoyu Islands, which it claims. It has also continued the militarisation of artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea despite an international ruling in 2016 against its claims.