Japanese politicians will discuss their anxieties over China’s new air defence zone with US vice-president Joe Biden tomorrow, as Tokyo looks to bolster international support for its opposition to the move.
Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe meets Mr Biden just days after Washington urged US commercial aircraft to comply with the controversial air defence zone, which overlaps a similar Japanese zone above the contested Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.
However, a confused picture emerged ahead of Mr Biden’s visit, with a Japanese foreign ministry official saying his government understands the Federal Aviation Administration has not instructed US airlines to obey Chinese rules.