Australia will seal a security relationship with Japan next week stronger than its defense ties with any country except the United States, but Prime Minister John Howard dismissed concerns it would harm ties with China. Howard is due in Tokyo late on Sunday ahead of talks next month on a free trade deal with Japan, the biggest buyer of Australian exports. But the focus of his visit will be a ground-breaking joint declaration on defense ties with Tokyo, which has relied on the United States for its protection since World War Two. Full Story