Asian allies stress cooperation after Trump slashes drills

Japan yesterday underlined that security cooperation with the US and South Korea was “critical” for the region’s stability, after US President Donald Trump alarmed allies by scaling back military drills with Seoul while hailing his ties with Pyongyang. Trump on Sunday abruptly announced that he had ordered the Pentagon

Trump made the surprise announcement about the troop drawdown in a social media post just before US and South Korean soldiers began Monday's annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises.

Concerns over the move came as U.S. President Donald Trump said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had responded to his outreach.

Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi's calls for cooperation came after US President Donald Trump downsized military drills with South Korea, praised his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and lashed out at Seoul for not helping Washington fight Iran.

Japan has said security cooperation with the United States and South Korea was "critical" for the region's stability, after US President Donald Trump scaled back military drills with Seoul while hailing his ties with North Korea.

President Donald Trump’s decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea does not just slight a long-time ally but raises broader concerns about the security interests of the United States in Asia and elsewhere. Trump explained his decision by citing South Korea’s refusal to join his war against Iran a