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Stronger US-Japan alliance against China could spell trouble for regional stability, analysts warn
- Tokyo and Washington set to bolster security ties during meeting between leaders a month after Japan unveils controversial military strategy
- ‘More trouble lies ahead’ as China-Japan rivalry faces ‘new irritants’, says international relations expert
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Tokyo and Washington are expected to elevate security ties to counter China when Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida meets US President Joe Biden at the White House on Friday – a move analysts warn could spell major trouble for regional stability.
On Wednesday, top US and Japanese officials met for bilateral security meetings in Washington, where they agreed that China’s growing power poses the “greatest strategic challenge” in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
They vowed to bolster deterrence by strengthening military cooperation “across all realms”, including in space, cybersecurity and emerging technologies.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada attended the “two-plus-two” meeting.
It was their first such meeting since Tokyo announced last month its biggest military build-up since World War II. While Japan’s announcement provoked fierce opposition from Beijing, Blinken said “we heartily welcome” the country’s break from its post-war pacifist stance.
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Japan approves largest military build-up in decades citing Chinese security threats
Japan approves largest military build-up in decades citing Chinese security threats
According to observers, Biden and Kishida are expected to adopt the consensus reached between the four officials, and the US leader is likely to endorse Japan’s newly revised national security strategy.
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