Tokyo, Oct. 24 -- Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Friday said her government will deepen multilateral dialogue with India and other countries such as South Korea, the Philippines and Australia, and advance a "free and open Indo-Pacific" where China is increasing its military activities, state media reported.

Calling the alliance with the United States the "cornerstone" of Japan's diplomatic and security policies, Takaichi further emphasized that China is an "important neighbour" with which Japan needs to foster "constructive and stable" ties and promote a "strategic and mutually beneficial" relationship.

In her first policy speech to Japanese Parliament, Diet since being elected as PM, pledged to lift the country's defence ...