When Japan¡¯s defense minister met his Australian counterpart in Tokyo on Wednesday, the quasi-allies delivered a clear message: crises elsewhere must not come at the expense of Indo-Pacific security.
¡°Even as the world¡¯s attention is focused on the Middle East, we must not allow a security vacuum to emerge in the areas surrounding our countries or in the Indo-Pacific region,¡± Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters following his second summit this year with Australia¡¯s Richard Marles.
The remarks reflect a broader concern among U.S.-allies and partners in the region ¡ª namely that the ongoing instability in the Middle East amid the war with Iran could pull Washington¡¯s strategic focus westward at a time of heightened tensions in Asia.
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