Before Visiting the U.S., Gao Shizhao Claims to Strengthen Defense Forces

[Global Times Report, Reporter Xing Xiaojing] The Japan Economic News reported on the 15th that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to begin her first visit to the United States since taking office on the 19th. This Japan-U.S. summit will cover a wide range of topics, with Japan intending to coordinate diplomatic policies with the U.S. to demonstrate the deepening Japan-U.S. alliance both domestically and internationally. Japanese media has placed the East Asian situation at the top of the agenda, stating that "the security environment surrounding Japan is becoming increasingly severe," while also noting that Japan needs to address the issue of China exerting economic pressure through critical supply chains. Takaichi expressed the same view during her speech at the graduation ceremony of the National Defense Medical College on the 14th.

According to a report by Kyodo News on the 14th, Takaichi stated, "The security environment our country faces is the most severe and complex since the war," shifting the blame onto neighboring countries by claiming "the military power of China and North Korea is increasing, and Russia is strengthening cooperation with China and North Korea." Takaichi emphasized the necessity of preparing for a "new mode of warfare" that heavily utilizes drones and for long-term combat readiness. She also stated that she would deepen multilateral cooperation with countries such as South Korea and the Philippines based on the Japan-U.S. alliance.

Reports indicate that Takaichi discussed plans to revise the national security strategy and three other security-related documents within the year, emphasizing that "including the organizational structure of the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces, we will explore options without excluding any possibilities, focusing on fundamentally strengthening our defense capabilities." She positioned Self-Defense personnel as the "core of defense capabilities," and Japanese media believes this statement demonstrates a determination to thoroughly strengthen defense and maintain deterrence.

When mentioning the continued deterioration of Japan-China relations due to Takaichi's erroneous remarks regarding Taiwan, the Japan Economic News stated that Takaichi plans to "clarify Japan's position to the U.S. during her visit and seek understanding, while also hoping to avoid the U.S. and China bypassing Japan in their dealings." The two sides will also consult on the Taiwan issue, striving to keep the attention of the U.S., which pursues "Taroism," focused on the East Asian region.

Lü Chao, director of the Institute of American and East Asian Studies at Liaoning University, stated in an interview with Global Times reporters on the 15th that Japan superficially claims to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance, but in reality, it is using the U.S. as a backing to push for military deregulation and seek regional influence. The core of Takaichi's visit to the U.S. is to pave the way for Japan's military deregulation, diplomatic risk avoidance, and economic binding, while also avoiding marginalization in the U.S.-China competition.     

Lü further explained that based on the humiliating memories of "top diplomacy" in history, Japan is concerned that the U.S. and China will bypass it in their dealings and use it as a bargaining chip. Therefore, Takaichi's visit to the U.S. is both a show of loyalty to the U.S. to highlight Japan's irreplaceability in the "Indo-Pacific strategy" and an attempt to constrain U.S. policy towards China by amplifying the "China threat theory," in order to avoid damage to its own interests. However, Japan's various actions will not only exacerbate tensions in the Asia-Pacific region but also be detrimental to regional peace, stability, and multilateral cooperation. Additionally, Japan's excessive military spending and relaxation of weapon export restrictions may trigger an arms race in the region, further undermining the security balance in the Asia-Pacific.