Japan and Malaysia have agreed on the importance of abiding by international law in addressing territorial disputes in the South China Sea, where China is claiming islands in direct competition with Southeast Asian countries.
During a summit Thursday in Putrajaya, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Malaysian counterpart, Najib Razak, also confirmed plans to promote cooperation in developing Malaysia's infrastructure in areas such as high-speed rail, waterworks, sewage systems and medicine.
The two leaders conferred about the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade talks, which Japan has officially joined, a Japanese official said.