Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Is Working To Strengthen Military Cooperation With The US To Counter China
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida is working to strengthen military cooperation with the US to counter China. In an interview with Geoff Bennett of CBS News, Kishida outlined his approach to the growing tensions in the Pacific, and working with the US through this period.
When asked whether Japanese would intervene if China invaded Taiwan, Kishida was non-committal. That should not shock anyone. It would be imprudent and provocative for the Japanese Prime Minister to outright say the Japanese military would engage with Chinese forces if they invaded Taiwan.
Mr Kishida described Japan’s positions in multiple theaters of the world; Ukraine included. He was measured and concise in his answers. When asked his level of concern about Chinese military activities in the South China Sea, Kishida said that Japan would ask China to be more transparent about their actions. Forceful but not threatening. And that is what we need from the Japanese Prime Minister.
Smartly, he didn’t want to make any commitments that Japan couldn’t keep. And he didn’t want to say anything that could be perceived in Beijing as aggressive. Kishida was able to draw connections between Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s possible invasion of Taiwan, without saying that they were the same thing. The Prime Minister demonstrates that he understands the nuance of conflicts around the world.
Kishida had a similar response when asked about North Korea. He noted that North Korea’s actions are concerning and will be monitored. And he reaffirmed the strength of the US and Japan’s relationship. The Prime Minister cannot divulge too many specifics, but he made the importance of the alliance crystal clear. He understands that the danger that China poses is not theoretical or made up. It is real. And we need to plan how we will react should China make any aggressive moves.
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida is working to strengthen military cooperation with the US to counter China. While not new news, it is extremely good news. Japan is pivotal in continuing the US-led World Order. We need them, as well as South Korea, The Philippines, and Taiwan, all engaged in the region.
It might sound like a tired platitude to repeat this. But if China ever acts, it will go from platitude to lifeline in an instant. We though talk of a “rules based world order” were cliches, until Russia invaded Ukraine. Hopefully we never get to a similar point with China. But if we do, it is reassuring that we will have Japan fully on our side.
