''U.S. Vice President Joe Biden urged Japan and China to lower tensions that have spiked since Beijing announced an air defense zone over disputed islands in the East China Sea, while repeating that Washington was "deeply concerned" by the move.
The United States has made clear it would stand by treaty obligations that would require it to defend the Japanese-controlled islands, but is also reluctant to get dragged into any military clash between the Asian rivals.
Biden will meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday before flying to China the next day as part of an Asian trip in which he will seek a delicate balance between calming tensions over the zone while backing key ally Japan.
"We remain deeply concerned by the announcement of a new Air Defense Identification Zone," Biden said in written answers to the Asahi.
"This latest incident underscores the need for agreement between China and Japan to establish crisis management and confidence building measures to lower tensions."
Influential Chinese tabloid the Global Times, published by the Communist Party's official People's Daily, said Biden should not cosy up to Abe or offer effusive support to Japan.
"The only choice he has if he wants a successful trip (to China) is not to go too far in his words over there," it wrote in an editorial. "If he openly supports Tokyo and wants to 'send an expedition to punish' Beijing, the Chinese people won't accept it."
Japan reiterated on Tuesday that Tokyo and Washington had both rejected Beijing's move to set up the zone - despite the fact that three U.S. airlines, acting on government advice, are notifying China of plans to transit the area''.
