The U.S. and Japan have refused to recognize China's air defense zone above tiny islands that China and Japan both claim.
The U.S. and its allies are concerned China's move is part of a broader strategy to assert increasing authority in the region.
“The prospect for miscalculation and mistake is too high,” Biden said of the air defense zone.
Abe, who met with Biden at the prime minister's residence here Tuesday, said he and Biden confirmed that neither country would tolerate the attempt to change the status quo by force.
He invoked Japan's decades-long alliance with the U.S. in pledging the two would work closely to deal with the situation.
At the same time, Abe appeared to try to smooth over a minor rift that emerged between the U.S. and Japan as Biden headed to the region over whether commercial airlines should comply with China's demand that they file flight plans before flying through the zone.
Japanese leaders were concerned after word came that the U.S. was advising American carriers, in line with existing protocol, to comply with such requests from foreign governments.
“We agreed we will not condone any action that could threaten safety of civilian aircraft,” Abe said.
