Japan sends envoy to Solomons:

Japan is sending a vice foreign minister to the Solomon Islands on Monday amid worry over a recent security agreement that the South Pacific nation struck with China that could increase Beijing’s military influence in the region.

Vice Foreign Minister Kentaro Uesugi’s three-day trip to Solomon Islands comes on the heels of a visit by a senior U.S. delegation, who warned that Washington would take unspecified action against the South Pacific nation should the security deal with China pose a threat to U.S. or allied interests.

The security pact, which China and the Solomons confirmed last week, has also alarmed neighboring countries and Western allies, including Japan, that fear a military buildup in the region.

“We believe the deal could affect the security of the entire Asia-Pacific region and we are watching the development with concern,” Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said Friday. (AP)