The Japanese warn of potentially catastrophic consequences if the world doesn't unite to stop Chinese military bullying.

I'm sure they feel they need allies tougher than President Choom.  I must say, however, that military conflict cannot be in China's interests.   I suppose we could put a brake on their aggression by telling them privately that any military conflict they start with the Japanese or Taiwanese will result in the debt we owe them being declared null and void, and/or the closure of our markets to them.  Even the thick headed generals in the People's Army could understand that calculus.

But, that's probably too much for our fearless leader to contemplate, so the Japanese are understandably looking for some other friends.

   "In a landmark speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe issued what amounted to an appeal for international support in a potentially explosive dispute with its superpower neighbour over islands in the East China Sea.

"We must restrain military expansion in Asia ... which otherwise could go unchecked," Abe told the annual meeting of global business and political leaders, which Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is due to attend on Friday.

"If peace and stability were shaken in Asia, the knock-on effect for the entire world would be enormous," Abe added.

"The dividend of growth in Asia must not be wasted on military expansion."

Although Abe did not explicitly mention China, his speech had been flagged up in advance by Japanese officials as an alarm call to an influential audience over what Tokyo sees as bullying by Beijing.