South China Sea, Diaoyus and North Korea to top agenda as Japan and Germany’s foreign, defence ministers meet with China on their mind

• Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi spoke with their German counterparts Heiko Maas and Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer via live video link on Tuesday
• It is part of Japan’s push ‘to develop new allies and alliances’ amid fears the US is faltering in its commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, according to one analyst