IN-DEPTH: Japan and US Forge Closer Ties to Counter China’s Influence

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden welcome Japanese Prime Minster Kishida and First Lady Yuko Kishida to the White House for a state visit, in Washington, on April 10, 2024. Allison Bailey / Middle East Images via AFP via Getty Images

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to the United States this week heralds a “new era of U.S.–Japan strategic cooperation,” according to a joint statement by Mr. Kishida and President Joe Biden. The visit is expected to reinforce bilateral cooperation across several fronts including diplomacy, defense, and technology. Talks between the two leaders had a specific focus on countering the expansive influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to a senior White House official.

The collaboration aims to significantly bolster the strategic alliance between the two nations, according to the joint statement.

On the agenda for Mr. Kishida’s visit is a series of high-level engagements, including an address to Congress on the morning of April 11, followed by trilateral talks with the Philippines in the afternoon.

Central to the discussions is the shared objective of curbing the increasingly assertive posture of the CCP—as illustrated by what the leaders called “dangerous and escalatory behavior.”

Nicholas Szechenyi, deputy director for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Scripps News the visit “sends a really strong signal to China, that the alliance network in Asia led by the United States is only going to get stronger if China maintains this assertive posture in the region.”

“Our purpose as partners is to uphold and bolster the free and open international order based on the rule of law,” said the joint statement, underscoring the “global partnership” between Japan and the United States.

Speaking to Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun prior to the U.S. state visit, Prime Minister Kishida emphasized the growing importance of a fortified alliance between Japan and the United States. He highlighted that the forthcoming discussions with President Biden would revolve around deepening cooperation in areas such as defense equipment development, space exploration, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, and 5G telecommunications.

Enhanced Japan–US Defense Cooperation

In an interview with Japanese publication Yomiuri Shimbun, Mr. Kishida said he will prioritize enhanced cybersecurity, emphasizing that “a free, open, and stable cyberspace is vital for the prosperity of Japan and the United States.” To this end, Japan is committed to substantially bolstering its cyber response capabilities, closely coordinating with the United States and its allies.

The summit comes at a time when the United States faces a depletion in its defense weapon stockpiles, partly due to its support for Ukraine. In response, Japan and the U.S. leaders are expected to agree on reinforcing their joint production mechanism for defense equipment. Mr. Kishida asserts that this collaboration will “boost the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance and serve the security interests of the Indo-Pacific region.”

One of the key areas of this enhanced cooperation involves the joint development and production of defense equipment, including combat-ready next-generation fighter airpower. It includes cooperation on repair work for warships as well as “the possibility of conducting maintenance and report on engines of Japan-based U.S. Air Force aircraft, including fourth-generation fighters,” according to the statement.

A major outcome of Mr. Kishida’s Washington visit is anticipated to be a consensus on several cooperative initiatives, including the joint utilization of Japan Self-Defense Force bases by U.S. forces, simplifying previously complex procedures. This agreement will facilitate joint training and enhance readiness for disaster response and potential conflicts.

The specifics of these arrangements are slated for discussion at the forthcoming Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee meeting, focusing on foreign affairs and defense, scheduled for the end of May.

Another critical topic for the summit was the proposal to augment the functions of the U.S. military command in Japan, aiming for tighter coordination with Japan’s upcoming “Joint Operations Command” to advance unified command capabilities. This new command structure, expected to be operational by year’s end, will spearhead the integrated command of Japan’s land, sea, and air defense forces.

In a move that could significantly economize maintenance costs and reduce downtime, Japanese private entities will gain the opportunity to conduct maintenance on large vessels of the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet, stationed in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

The summit asserted that Article 5 of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty covers the Senkaku Islands, addressed the military threats from the CCP to Taiwan, and underlined the crucial importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait for both nations.

Additionally, the joint statement highlighted two major points: In scenarios involving contingencies in Taiwan or the Korean Peninsula, U.S. forces in Japan will receive substantial command authority, mirroring the U.S.-South Korea Combined Forces Command, with a four-star general based in Japan potentially overseeing operations. Furthermore, Japan and the United States will pledge cooperation on lunar exploration projects, marking a new frontier in the bilateral partnership.

US President Joe Biden meets with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 10, 2024. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Initiating a ‘Policy Dialogue’ Mechanism for Expansive Cooperation

Prime Minister Kishida addressed Congress on Thursday, nearly a decade after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s historic address to Congress in April 2015.

In his speech, Mr. Kishida articulated his vision for the future trajectory of the United States–Japan “Global Partnership.” He advocated for intensified strategic cooperation spanning a myriad of areas, emphasizing the enduring significance of the alliance, irrespective of the U.S. presidential election outcomes in November.

Mr. Kishida is poised to underscore the bipartisan support for the Japan–U.S. alliance within the United States, highlighting its recognition across party lines as a pivotal aspect of both nations’ foreign policy. A major goal of his visit is to underscore the critical importance of this alliance and Japan’s strategic initiatives to augment its defense capabilities.

The prime minister told the Yomiuri Shimbun that Japan and the United States plan to establish a “policy dialogue” mechanism at the ministerial level, designed to oversee and enhance cooperation across various sectors.

A significant area of collaboration involves advancing floating offshore wind power generation, with Japan being heralded as the United States’ premier partner in this field. The joint statement post-summit outlined this initiative, symbolizing a united front in the pursuit of green energy initiatives.

This effort is also a strategic move to mitigate the dominance of Chinese-manufactured solar panels in the global market, which has posed challenges for Japan’s related industries. By establishing a supply chain independent of China, particularly in the non-carbon emission domain, both nations will fortify their energy sectors against external dependencies.

Trilateral Summit

Moreover, the inaugural Japan–U.S.–Philippines summit Thursday will see Prime Minister Kishida alongside President Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. issuing a collective statement directed at countering China’s influence.

The trio is expected to announce collaborative efforts in various domains, including bolstering the supply chain for critical minerals like nickel and enhancing energy and digital infrastructure. This trilateral cooperation signifies a strategic alignment among the three nations, underpinning a unified approach to regional stability and economic resilience.

Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks to the media following talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, on March 12, 2024. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images) 

US Think Tank Foresees Japan in Leadership Role

As anticipation builds for a significant agreement that will further elevate the Japan–U.S. alliance, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a prominent U.S. think tank, has published a compelling report. The report, marking its sixth edition, advocates for an intensified level of Japan–U.S. cooperation and envisions Japan assuming a more pivotal role in global affairs.

Released on April 4, the report features insights from notable figures including former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Lee Armitage, among other experts well-versed in Japanese affairs. It examines the contemporary international security challenges confronting both Japan and the United States, advocating for a “more integrated [Japan–U.S.] alliance.”

The recommendation includes bolstering cooperation between the U.S. military and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and strengthening the nexus between economic resilience and security commitments. It suggests a reevaluation of the command structure shared between the U.S. military and the Self-Defense Forces, alongside a call for Japan to enhance its intelligence-gathering capabilities.

Highlighting global geopolitical shifts, the report points to Russia’s incursion into Ukraine as a significant disruptor of the international order, the potential for escalated conflict in the Middle East stemming from Hamas’ actions against Israel, and the CCP’s militaristic and economic strategies aimed at establishing dominance in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

It starkly notes that Japan and the United States are “confronting an international environment more fragmented and divided than at any time since the end of World War II,” and posits that Japan is expected to extend its leadership both regionally and on the global stage.

To counteract the CCP’s ambitions for regional hegemony, the report outlines several strategic recommendations to fortify Japan–U.S. cooperation. It heralds the establishment of a Joint Operations Command by Japan by year’s end as a stepping stone for modernizing the alliance’s command structure and ensuring effective wartime collaboration with the U.S. military.

Moreover, it emphasizes the necessity for Japan to bolster its engagement, particularly in light of the CCP’s intensified military posturing towards Taiwan, and suggests initiating trilateral dialogues among Japan, the United States, and Taiwan. Additionally, it proposes the creation of a Japan–U.S. dialogue on economic security to synchronize export controls and industrial strategies, and champions broader multilateral engagements with allies like Australia and South Korea.

Identifying intelligence capabilities as a critical area for improvement, the report advises Japan to fortify its organizational and cyber countermeasure capacities.

Authored by Richard Armitage and former assistant secretary of defense Joseph Nye, among others, the first edition of this influential report was issued in 2000. It has historically offered perspectives that have significantly shaped the defense policy discourse between Japan and the United States, including advocating for the Self-Defense Forces of Japan to exercise their right to self-defense. The publication of this sixth edition continues its tradition of contributing to the strategic dialogue and policy formulation between the two countries.

US Ambassador Hails New Epoch for Japan–US Alliance

U.S. ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel cast the spotlight on Prime Minister Kishida’s visit in an interview with Japanese media NHK on April 4, emphasizing that it marks a new era for the Japan–U.S. alliance. As relations between the two countries continue to strengthen and evolve, the summit between Mr. Kishida and President Biden is poised to signify a shift in the dynamics of the long-standing partnership, he said.

Mr. Emanuel highlighted the significant strides Japan has made, especially following the Japanese government’s release of three pivotal security documents in December 2022. The documents not only redefined Japan’s defensive posture by incorporating “counterstrike capabilities” but also firmly established Japan as a “full partner” with the United States, both diplomatically and in defense terms.

US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel (L) speaks as Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto (R) looks on at the start of a media briefing at the US ambassador's residence in Tokyo on March 7, 2024, after the latter was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize on March 5. Richard A. Brooks / AFP via Getty Images

Mr. Emanuel pointed out that over the past two years, Japan has undergone the most significant changes of the post-war period, transitioning from a primarily defensive stance to a more assertive role that involves projecting the alliance’s presence across the region.

Discussions between the United States and Japanese military have been focusing on the cooperation between the Japan Self-Defense Forces and U.S. forces stationed in Japan, specifically on how to achieve a more streamlined and unified command structure.

The ambassador noted, “The current structure is not suitable for the challenges we are facing,” indicating a readiness to revamp the alliance’s operational approaches to meet contemporary security challenges.

Mr. Emanuel expressed optimism concerning closer cooperation among Japan, the United States, and the Philippines, aiming to bolster collective capabilities to counter the CCP’s ambitions of maritime hegemony. This trilateral engagement underscores a strategic endeavor to ensure stability and uphold freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region, reinforcing the united front against unilateral attempts to alter the status quo by force.