The defense ministers of Japan and China have agreed in their first talks since June 2011 that defense exchanges and the early launch of a maritime communication mechanism will be important in preventing accidental clashes.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday after meeting Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Chang Wanquan on the sidelines of a regional security gathering in Kuala Lumpur, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani declined to say if they discussed China's contentious moves in the disputed South China Sea.
Nakatani, however, challenged China's behavior during the gathering of 18 defense ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and their regional partners.