Japan is selling top-of-the-line warships to another key US ally. What that means in the highly contested Pacific

Australia last week announced a $6.5 billion deal to buy advanced warships from Japan, a move that can go a long way to making Canberra a Pacific maritime power and Tokyo a major weapons exporter, analysts say.

The Australian Defense Ministry said it will buy 11 of Japan’s Mogami-class frigates, stealthy, state-of-the-art surface…