As a diplomatic dispute between China and Japan escalates, the Japanese Prime Minister has confirmed she's had a conversation with US president Donald Trump.

According to several media reports, the US President asked Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi not to further escalate a dispute with China during talks last week as he tries to preserve a fragile trade war truce with Beijing.

• Guest: Koichi Nakano, political science professor, Sophia University
• Producers: Oscar Coleman, Eleni Psaltis