Japan, China to agree on procedures for unexpected military encounters - source

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L) shakes hands with China's President Xi Jinping at the start of their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Asian-African Conference in Jakarta, in this photo released by Kyodo April 22, 2015. Mandatory credit REUTERS/Kyodo

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan and China will next month conclude an agreement to define procedures for communication between their naval vessels and military aircraft during unexpected encounters to reduce the risk of confrontation, a source told Reuters.

As China's military grows and as Japan looks to expand its Self Defense Force operations beyond home waters to regions such as the South China Sea, encounters between their armed forces are on the rise.