Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is greeted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe before their meeting at his official residence in Tokyo on Wednesday. The leaders also affirmed a shared stance on territorial disputes in the South China Sea. While Japan does not have any claim to the South China Sea, it has repeatedly condemned attempts to unilaterally change the status quo in light of its own territorial row with China in the East China Sea. The South China Sea also serves a key shipping route for Japan's imports, especially of oil from the Middle East. Japan has also given patrol vessels to Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam in an effort to strengthen the maritime security of countries abutting the South China Sea.

Source: Bangkok Post November 16, 2016 12:45 UTC