US, Japan, Australia, Philippines should form defense pact: ex-official

US, Japan, Australia, Philippines should form defense pact: ex-official US, Japan, Australia, Philippines should form defense pact: ex-official

WASHINGTON — The U.S. needs a collective defense pact in Asia, and it should start with fellow “Squad” nations Japan, Australia and the Philippines, a former assistant secret of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs in the Biden administration told Nikkei Asia.

While the idea is similar to the “Asian NATO” previously proposed by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Ely Ratner envisions a narrower grouping.