Mattis vows 'strong defensive stance' on N Korea

The United States and its regional allies will maintain a "strong collaborative defensive stance" on North Korea, despite ongoing negotiations to bring peace to the peninsula, Defence Secretary James Mattis said today.

Mattis stressed that Washington's alliance with Japan was a "cornerstone" of regional stability, as he wrapped up a four-day Asian visit in Tokyo following talks with his counterpart Itsunori Onodera aimed at reassuring partners in the region.

Regional allies were caught wrong-footed by a decision from President Donald Trump to suspend joint military exercises between the US and South Korea that had previously been seen as a vital containing measure amid North Korean belligerence.

Mattis said the decision was taken "to create space for our diplomats to negotiate strongly and increase the prospect for a peaceful solution on the peninsula."