Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling coalition is likely to win big in Japan’s lower house election on February 8.
Hopefully, Washington recognizes what it has with Takaichi.
Among major US allies, Japan is the only one that is taking its defense seriously and not cozying up to the Chinese communists.
Since I first went to Japan in 1993, Japan has had 19 prime ministers. Takaichi could be one of the very best – even better than the late Shinzo Abe.
For one thing, she cares about “regular” Japanese, and seems to understand the plight of Japan’s long-suffering citizens – who are fleeced with high taxes and low salaries, seemingly existing to service Japan’s elite class and big business.
But that’s a domestic issue.
More important for Washington, Takaichi is one of the very few Japanese prime ministers in the last 30 years to take office with a decent knowledge of national security and what Japan needs to do to defend itself.
She does her homework and has some excellent advisors – and listens to them.
Takaichi also understands the malevolent nature of the Chinese communist regime and the threat posed to Japan.
In the past, when China objected to something Japan did or didn’t do, it only had to throw a fit and summon up demonstrations outside the Japanese embassy in Beijing or take a Japanese businessmen hostage on “espionage” charges. Japan would apologize.
But Takaichi has already taken a firm approach toward China following Beijing’s latest tantrum after she reasonably noted Taiwan is important to Japan’s national security when asked about Taiwan in the Diet by a politician with family business ties to China.
Takaichi has not backed down or made conciliatory gestures toward China of the sort that would indicate Japan had done something wrong.
If she wins big, Takaichi will be even less likely to cave to Chinese intimidation.
Beijing deserves credit for increasing Takaichi’s popularity and letting her demonstrate firm leadership so soon after taking office. The Japanese public (far more “anti-China” and pro-defense than is Japan’s political class) has always responded well to strong, well-articulated leadership – on the rare occasions when the people are exposed to it.
Takaichi is already looking after Japan’s interests by improving national defense and economic security, and also bolstering the US-Japan alliance while linking up with other free nations to strengthen overall defense.
What Takaichi is doing is prudent and common sense. It is not confrontational – though to Beijing defending oneself against Chinese pressure is being “confrontational.”
Will China re-engage with Japan?
Maybe eventually. But not soon. Instead, it will keep attacking Takaichi with vile language, trying to stoke regional fears of (imaginary) Japanese “militarism,” and also pressuring Japan via the People’s Liberation Army Navy, Coast Guard, maritime militia and fishing boats constantly intruding in Japan’s maritime territory.
The Chinese communists will also try to split the US-Japan alliance, though likely with little success.
Indeed, Takaichi understands that Japan’s strategic interests depend on a close relationship with America. Like former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, she realizes that, without the United States, Japan cannot adequately defend itself or its interests against Chinese aggression.
Fortunately, Japanese and American geopolitical interests also generally correspond, and the Japanese public broadly supports the US-Japan defense treaty.
Takaichi has plenty to do defense-wise, but she’s doing it.
She will need to find and allocate funds for national defense and, most importantly, address the Japan Self-Defense Forces’ longstanding recruitment shortfalls. Ensuring the Japanese forces can operate jointly among themselves and effectively with US forces is another priority.
Expanding defense production and economic security – especially when it comes to critical minerals, and reducing China-dependent supply chains – are also essential tasks.
These efforts to improve Japan’s defense are all being done in the context of a strategic defense, and with the United States.
Japan lacks the capability – such as manpower, weapons, and hardware – or the desire to threaten its neighbors with aggressive, offensive action.
The US waited a long time for a prime minister who recognizes the threats facing Japan, has the nerve to stand up to China and will genuinely improve defense – beyond white papers and big-ticket hardware purchase.
Washington should ensure Takaichi gets all the help she needs, and then some.
Grant Newsham is a retired US Marine officer and US diplomat who lived in Japan for 25 years
in the EU, the US has vd lying, in ukraine, the US has zelinskii and now in japan, the US has takaichi – what can go wrong ???
“the malevolent nature of the Chinese communist regime” says the bu*cher from a murderous nation
Grant is right that Takaichi is the best PM in terms of serving American interests. But national leaders who prioritize other nation’s interests over their own nation’s interests are not good leaders. They may fool some of their countrymen
for_a tinr
for a time, but eventually their subjects will find out the truth.
Who is this Grant fellow? Part of the American viceroy team in occupied Japan. He conveys talking points from the imperial headquarters in DC.
The US imperium is only as strong as its weakest links. And Japan is a weak link. It will be the first advanced economy to go bankrupt. It is being squeezed by the US and China from both sides.
Maybe this Grant fellow should flip on thr switch in the Western mind, that has been in the OFF position for the last 40 years, and do some critical thinking of his own before spewing nonsesne about China. Capitalism is failing. What the US has is crony capitalism and FASCISM. Inequality in the US is embarasing.
This Yanquid obsession with always “defending everywhere” is “defending nowhere”.
She’s the PM the US has been waiting for until she isn’t. Just like Chump was the President the US has been waiting for until he became the President China had been waiting for much to its delight unlike Grant who has to Swal low his pride. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣