Regional disputes should not be on the agenda at G7 summit

However, Japan has obviously turned a deaf ear to China's words.

The Abe administration has been cozying up to the countries of Southeast Asia situated along the coastline of the South China Sea, and it has been increasing the presence of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force in the region.

A Japanese submarine and two of its warships visited the Philippines and Vietnam in April, and Japan will again take part in the annual Malabar naval exercises of the US and India later this year.

In this it is following the lead of its ally the US, which is also strengthening its military presence in the region.

Last week the US and the Philippines agreed to consolidate their military relationship. A new agreement allows the US to build facilities at five Philippine military bases and station more US troops, planes and ships across the Southeast Asia nation.

The US said on Thursday it will send troops and combat aircraft to the Philippines for regular, more frequent rotations, and will conduct more joint sea and air patrols with Philippine forces in the South China Sea.

Japan has also invited Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea to the G7 Summit, indicating that the G7 nations want to expand their trade relations in the Asia-Pacific region as well as strengthen their security ties with the nations that have territorial disputes with China.

Japan's G7 chairmanship offers it considerable authority regarding agenda setting and membership. But if it deems the summit as a chance to meddle in other countries' affairs, it is miscalculating.

The author is China Daily Tokyo bureau chief. caihong@chinadaily.com.cn

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