Next week U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will host the third annual Our Ocean Conference in Washington, D.C. on September 15-16, as a way to continue the wave global action to protect our ocean from the effects of human activity, including unsustainable and illegal fishing, marine pollution, and climate-related impacts.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera and his Vietnamese counterpart, Phung Quang Thanh, have agreed to boost cooperation in maritime security amid concern over China’s growing naval activities, Japanese officials said. During talks Monday in Hanoi, Onodera was quoted by the officials as telling Thanh that the rule of law and dialogue are vital in settling security disputes.