The United States to expand military relations with Japan, despite Trump’s criticism of the coalition

Tokyo – In early March, President Trump criticized what he described as a unilateral security alliance between the United States and Japan. Japan officials have heard these comments from Mr. Trump before, and until now, they have continued to form national security plans in the country based on guaranteeing support from the United States.

Government officials admit that they have no other option.

“There is no plan for Japan, unlike the United States,” Takoya Akayama, The Deputy Director of the North American Affairs Office at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs told CBS News. “A wise treaty and also as a physical existence, no other country can replace the United States that it cannot be imagined.”

US It may retreat from Europe During the era of President Trump, but despite his statements about Japan, the American military cooperation with Tokyo seemed stable, and it may even expand with the increasing confrontation with Asia in an increasing way. Firm great power, China.

China’s threat to its neighbors

Japanese officials may have breathed a sigh of relief after Prime Minister Shigro Ishiba visited the White House in February. The Trump administration again confirmed its commitment to the Japanese defense, including Tokyo’s conflict with Beijing on ownership Senkaku Islands.

It is one of the many land ownership disputes between China and its neighbors on the islands The South China Sea – Almost all of them claiming Beijing as its lands. The White House has repeatedly condemned Chinese aggression And the implementation of militarization in the South China Sea, American warships and aircraft routinely “freedom of navigation” in the region – often attracts sharp reprimand from Beijing.

Advisers to the Japanese Prime Minister spent the most famous of the American elections to prepare for meeting with Mr. Trump. They focused on using a clear and brief language to transfer the benefits of the security coalition of the United States, and to increase Japan in defense spending and military purchases from America, according to officials of the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

China was quickly Enhancing its military capabilitiesIncluding its nuclear program, in recent years, according to American officials. Last year, China announced 7.2 % increase in its defensive budgetWhich was already the second highest in the world, only behind the United States.

In February, Taiwan condemned China and its special forces were deployed in response to the Chinese army “Fire Training” exercises were held In the Strait of Taiwan.

“From an American perspective, it is clear that if Taiwan falls, and if Japan falls, our alliances in the Indian Pacific Ocean have ended,” said Kenneth Winstein, the Japan chair at the Hudson Institute. “China will represent the exceptional military impact – it will be able to close global charging as they see, and it will be able to strangle the South China Sea and other places.”

There were already tense confrontations between the Japanese and Chinese marine ships around the Senkaku Islands, a group of unmanned islands that Beijing and Tokyo demanded. According to data from the Japanese Coast Guard, the ships of the Chinese government entered the maritime area around the islands, which China Dioyus calls in 355 out of 366 days from 2024 – the highest number of interventions that Japan has reported since China began working throughout the islands in 2008.

Chinese ships operating throughout the islands have risen not only in number, but in armaments, more weapons are larger and they revolve around the disputed lands, according to officials in foreign and defense ministries.

While Japanese analysts do not believe that the Chinese military invasion of the Washing Senkaku Islands, they say that there is a risk that the accident or accident involves hunting or other non -military vessels in the region will lead to a rapid military escalation.

“The Chinese Communist Party believes in power. They have begun to act because they now believe that they now have the ability to do this,” China’s expert Akio Takahara, a professor at the Christian University of Tokyo, told CBS News. “We want the United States to increase its presence in this region, because the Chinese will definitely play their presence in the region.”

A big boost for the upcoming American defense cooperation and Japan?

Japan has renewed its approach to defense in recent years, including commitment to spending 2 % of its gross domestic product to defense by 2027. Japan announced a major policy shift in 2022, to abandon the country’s war after the Second World War, and to stop the defense exclusively by a decision to obtain the capabilities of Counstrike.

The Trump administration apparently agreed to changes, and did not ask Japan more defensive spending, and some Japanese officials feared this.

While Mr. Trump specifically complained this month about the virtual preparation of Japan to meet her mutual defense’s commitment to the United States under Article 5 of The American -Japanese Security TreatyJapanese officials tried to focus more on Article 6, according to which Japan provides bases and facilities for American forces. This aspect of the relationship can be set on expansion.

The United States and Japan have been in discussions since Mr. Trump returned to the White House about the creation of a joint headquarters in Japan. If this happens, he will upgrade the role of American forces in Japan to the headquarters with the operational authority. The dialogue was announced on the promotion under the Biden Administration, after it was asked the Japanese.

In the event of a regional security crisis-such as a Chinese attack on Taiwan or the disputed South China Sea-that the presence of a joint headquarters in the force in Japan would give the US military the ability to respond with orders from the region, rather than waiting for orders coming from the leadership of the United States of America in Hawaii.

US Defense Minister Beit Higseth is expected to meet with his Japanese counterpart in late March to discuss efforts to strengthen American forces in the Pacific region.

Anxiety about Ukraine

Drama Lingly by the Trump administration In his position Ukraine It also caused anxiety in Japan. Since Russia has launched its invasion in February 2022, Japan has been a strong supporter of Ukraine. Japanese officials are concerned about a precedent that will be appointed if the United States is seen to abandon a partner nation against the invasion by a more powerful neighbor.

“In light of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, countries’ perceptions of security around the world have changed,” said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a regional security summit in June 2022. “I have a strong feeling of urgency that Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow.”

The Japanese fear is that if the United States and the world in general are ready to accept a change in the borders of Europe imposed by the Russian aggression, they may also refuse to interfere in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan.

“The Chinese will be encouraged that if Shi Jinping does something similar, Trump will be nice with Shi Jinping as it was in Putin,” Professor Takahara told CBS News. “This type of message will be received in Beijing.”

Tokyo officials are trying to focus on the long -term bilateral relationship with Washington, and they look beyond the Trump administration, but they know that China is closely watching with the development of the relationship, especially given the volatile nature of the Trump administration policy.

“We do not know what Mr. Trump will say tomorrow and did it the next day. So, at least, Ishiba’s visit went, the first round, fine. We were happy to do so.” “But what about the next round? When will it come? No one knows.”