TOKYO: Japan's defence minister, Nobuo Kishi, looks forward to discussing with his US counterpart aspects of China's activities in the East and South China Sea regions, he said on Tuesday.

The security environment in the Indo-Pacific region was "severe", Kishi said as he began a meeting with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.

On his Tokyo visit, Austin said the US-Japan alliance was strong and the two nations would work together towards achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.