where he told Mr Putin that trust between their militaries “has been increasingly consolidated”.
But he stressed: “The West must, at the same time, reciprocate by having more nuanced discussions about how to manage this relationship.” That the Indo-Pacific was front and centre of the communique was a diplomatic win for Japan, experts said, citing a growing recognition, even in Europe, of the region as the nexus of the global economy and geopolitical risks.
This includes such regions as the Pacific Islands, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean – all of which have in recent years been susceptible to Chinese influence. Dr Nagao saw this as a message that these regions are not being ignored by the G-7.