Obama restates support for Japan in island dispute

US President Barack Obama has reaffirmed his support for Japan in its row over islands with China, after talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Mr Obama, who is on a four-nation Asia tour, warned against escalation in the dispute and said he wanted to see the row resolved peacefully.

But he confirmed that the islands fell under a security treaty that commits the US to act if Japan is attacked.

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes reports.