Japanese minister says Blinken has assured US to protect this state

Japan's ties to China have been exacerbated by a territorial dispute over a group of Japanese - administered islands in the East China Sea called Shankak in Japan and Diaoyu in China, as well as the past of Japan's military aggression.

“Secretary Blinken stated that US commitment to protecting Japan, including implementation of Article 5 of the Japan Security Treaty- The US for the Senkaku Islands, was steadfast”, Hayashi told reporters.

Article 5 of the treaty has reportedly acknowledged that each party has acknowledged that an armed attack on territories under Japan's administration would be dangerous for its peace and security, and that it will be taken immediately to cope with the danger considered common.

Hayashi said he and Blinken share the same view that the peace and stability of Taiwan's Strait were important.

Tensions between the two countries have increased in recent months, with Taiwan complaining about a year or more of repeated missions by China's air force on the self-government island that Beijing claims his own, Reuters writes