UK aircraft carrier visits Japan for drill amid China worry

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi has welcomed the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth as it makes its first Japanese port call. He says the involvement of European nations in the Indo-Pacific region is key to peace and stability as China’s military strength and influence grow. The Queen Elizabeth participated in a joint exercise with warships from the United States, the Netherlands, Canada and Japan before arriving in Yokosuka. Japan has become increasingly worried about China’s growing military influence in the region as well as Beijing’s escalating tensions with Taiwan and rivalry with the United States.