Published 19:53 IST, July 3rd 2020

Japan seeks to share defence intelligence with India, UK, Australia amid tiff with China

Amid global retaliation against China, Japan on Friday has sought to expand its defense intelligence sharing to India, Australia and U.K, as per int'l news

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Amid global retaliation against China, Japan on Friday has sought to expand its defense intelligence sharing to India, Australia and U.K, as per international news reports. country reportedly has decided to include se three nations by amending its state secrets law which alrey covers US. This decision comes amid Japan's ongoing tiff with China over uninhabited Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in Indo-Pacific sea, which has been ministered by Japan since 1972.

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Japan seeks sharing defence intelligence

Reports state that by amending states secret law, it will allow Japan to share data on Chinese troop movements as it gets harder for Japan to track China's activities in region on its own. Moreover, reports stat that Japan is mulling to share intelligence with U.K., Australia, India and France, with which Japan has signed agreements, thus mandating both sides to keep classified defense information secret. Japan has participated in India-US-Japan Malabar naval exercise every year since 2015 and .

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Japan-China's recent island skirmish

On June 22, Ishigaki City Council in Japan's Okinawa approved legislation to change ministrative status of Senkaku islands by changing its name from "Tonoshiro" to Tonoshiro Senkaku", to reportedly avoid confusion. islands, 1,200 miles (1,931 kilometers) southwest of Tokyo, have been ministered by Japan since 1972, but both nations have claimed islands as ir own for over a hundred years. Since April, Japan has reportedly spotted at least 67 Chinese ships near Senkaku islands, latest in May. Japan has alrey deployed its missiles towards its border facing China amid its several maritime incursions.

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Japan backs India against China in LAC

Earlier in day, Japanese Ambassor to India Satoshi Suzuki opposed 'any unilateral attempts to change status quo' after holding talks with Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla about LAC standoff. Shringla has briefed US, France, Germany, Russia and Japan on situation at Line of Actual Control with China in Lakh and India's efforts for a peaceful resolution, over past week. Apart from participating in naval exercises every year with Japan and US, India is also a part of Qurilateral Security Dialogue (Qu)-  which is a informal strategic dialogue between United States, India, Japan, and Australia.

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US, Russia, Japan on LAC

Apart from Japan, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has acknowledged India's efforts to maintain peace at border and has slammed China's 'illegal claims to more territory'. On June 20, referring to Galwan clashes, he said, " PLA has escalated border tensions – we see it today in India, world’s most populous democracy". Russia, on or hand, has ruled any intervention in current standoff between India and China - maintaining that two can solve problems on ir own. Most global powers have expressed ir condolences to India on 20 soldiers' martyrdom.

19:53 IST, July 3rd 2020