Japan expands non-U. S. military ties
2023.01.13 02:19
Japan expands non-U. S. military ties
By Kristina Sobol
Budrigannews.com – Fumio Kishida, the prime minister of Japan, traveled to Italy, France, Britain, and Canada before meeting President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C., in part to build security ties that could help the country defend itself against China, North Korea, and Russia.
Nobuo Kishi, Japan’s defense minister at the time, stated in June that his nation was surrounded by nuclear-armed nations that refused to behave in accordance with international standards.
Kishida has referred to the security situation in East Asia as “fragile” in the wake of Moscow’s attack on Ukraine.
China is at the top of Japan’s list of threats because it worries that it might attack Taiwan or other Japanese islands nearby. Around the East China Sea, Chinese military activity is getting more intense, including joint air and sea drills with Russia.
North Korea has also launched missiles into the Sea of Japan and launched its first intermediate-range missile over Japan since 2017 in October.
After its defeat in World War II, Japan gave up its right to wage war and has relied on the United States for protection for the past seven decades.
The United States of America receives bases that enable it to maintain a significant military presence in East Asia in exchange for its promise to defend the nation.
Japan is home to 54,000 American troops, dozens of warships, hundreds of military planes, and Washington’s one and only forward-deployed aircraft carrier.
The regional power balance has shifted in Beijing’s favor as China’s military power grows alongside its economy.
Twenty years ago, China’s defense spending was greater than Tokyo’s, and it is now more than four times greater.
Japan announced in December its largest military buildup since World War II, with a commitment to double defense spending to 2% of GDP within five years, supported by the United States.
This will include funding for missiles that have a range of more than 621 miles (1,000 kilometers) and are capable of striking targets in China.
However, Beijing is likely to continue enhancing its arsenal of increasingly sophisticated weapons and enhancing its military capabilities.
Japan is looking for new security partners to back it up militarily and diplomatically, again with Washington’s support.
For the time being, that effort has focused on countries like Australia, Britain, and France, which are also strong allies of the United States. India, which has been a member of the Quad group since 2004, has regularly met with Japan, the United States, and Australia to discuss regional diplomacy. Tokyo is also looking for closer security ties with India.
On January 11, as part of his tour of other G7 nations, Kishida met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London to sign a reciprocal access defense agreement that will make it easier for the two nations to hold military drills on each other’s territory.
This year, Japan is the G7 chair and will host its leaders in Hiroshima in May. Britain has sought closer defense ties as it moves more toward Asia. It announced that it would permanently station two warships in Asian waters and sent the brand-new HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier to Japan in 2021.
Japan’s first major international defense project since the end of World War II was the announcement in December that it would collaborate with Britain and Italy to construct a new jet fighter.
Japan’s sometimes-troubling relationship with South Korea has also improved since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, making it possible for the two U.S. allies to work together militarily more closely.
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