REFILE-UPDATE 1-Japan's Suga opposes actions that boost tension in South China Sea

(Corrects paragraph 1 day of the week to Wednesday, not Monday)
By Kiyoshi Takenaka
JAKARTA, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Japan opposes any actions that
escalate tension in the East and South China Seas, Prime
Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Wednesday, but added that Tokyo
was not aiming at an "Asian NATO" to contain any specific
country.
Suga was wrapping up a four-day trip to Vietnam and
Indonesia, his first overseas since taking office last month, as
part of Japan's efforts to bolster ties with key Southeast Asian
nations amid concerns about China's growing assertiveness there.
"Japan is opposed to any actions that escalate tensions in
the South China Sea," Suga told a news conference in the
Indonesian capital.
"Let me stress anew the importance of all the countries
concerning the South China Sea issues not resorting to force or
coercion, but working toward peaceful resolutions of the
disputes based on international law."
The trip follows this month's meeting in Tokyo of the
“Quad”, an informal grouping of India, Australia, Japan and the
United States that Washington sees as a bulwark against China's
growing regional influence.
China has denounced the grouping of the four democracies as
a "mini-NATO" aimed at containing its development.
"Our response in the South China Sea is not aimed at any one
country," Suga said, when asked if Japan wanted to create an
Asian version of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Suga must balance Japan's deep economic ties with China
against security concerns, including Beijing's growing push to
assert claims over disputed East China Sea isles.
Some in his ruling party want to see a harder line, after
ties warmed under his predecessor, Shinzo Abe.
"Japan is determined to defend its territory, territorial
waters and air space," Suga said, adding that Japan also opposed
actions that raised tension in the East China Sea.
Several members of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) have territorial disputes with China in the
vital South China Sea, but are wary of alienating the group's
major economic partner and getting entangled in an intense
confrontation between Washington and Beijing.
But some welcome Japan's greater engagement in the region.
Suga agreed with President Joko Widodo on Tuesday to speed
talks on the export of Japanese defence gear and technology to
Indonesia and have their defence and foreign ministers meet
soon.
A day earlier, the Japanese leader and Vietnamese
counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc also agreed in principle on a
military equipment and technology export pact.